Sorry
by Scarlet has Fantasy Issues
Summary: Kane gets a new rookie and they're not what he expected...KaneXOC eventually. AN: Thea's wedding dress is on my profile.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a wrestling story and I can't guarantee that you will enjoy all parts of it. Most of this is going by what I have gotten from the shows, Wikipedia, and my dad. I'm still learning the names of things, but I know most of the stars from Smackdown and some from Raw, so please bear with me in this learning process.**

**Also, some of the characters might seem out of character but that's because this is my story and I have the creative license to do what I want with them. And I know that what the OC in here does will probably never be allowed in real wrestling, but this is again another creative license. **

**I hope there are those among you who will continue to read this even if you find that this story is a little weird. That's all I have to say for now...so enjoy this story!**

OOOOOOOOOO

The Big Red Monster didn't have a clue why Vince McMahon wanted to have him come to the arena so early in the morning. He stifled a yawn and took a sip of his coffee. It was black and bitter, just like his ringside character. It had just the jolt to wake him up a little.

The silver haired chairman was standing just inside the arena when Glenn entered it. There was a satisfied smile on the older man's face and Glenn wasn't sure he should feel comfortable with that. Something was up.

"Glenn, it's good to see you're up and about so early in the morning when most of the others are catching up on their beauty rest," Vince said with that cocky smile. "Though you look like you could use another few hours."

Glenn ignored the jab at his looks, knowing that he wasn't really a looker. He was content with that. "It's fine."

"Good because you're going to be up for a good long time," Vince stated, getting straight to the point now that he didn't have to exchange anymore 'pleasantries'. "I have someone I want you to meet." The chairman started walking into the arena. "Do you remember how we're giving superstars some rookies to mentor and train?"

"Yes. What of it?" Glenn asked, following him.

"I've found you a rookie to mentor, but I'll warn you that this is no ordinary rookie."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, take a look for yourself."

They had made it close enough to the ring that Glenn could see that there were two people sparring in the ring. One was obviously Drew McIntyre, but the other he didn't know. And what he didn't get was why Drew was fighting a girl.

"That's your rookie," Vince announced. "Fresh out of Japan and eager to get her hands dirty."

Glenn shook his head and moved closer to the ring. The girl was moving around so much and Drew kept getting in the way, but he could tell that the girl had purple hair streaked with black. Obviously thinking that he had Glenn intrigued by this rookie, Vince called out to the two sparring wrestlers and they stopped fighting, their chests rising and falling as they fought to catch their breath.

"Thea, come over here for a minute," Vince commanded, motioning her forward.

The purple haired girl looked at Drew like she wanted to get back to wrestling, but he whispered something to her that made her walk over to the side of the ring closest to the two men. The way she moved reminded Glenn of a cat. "What's up Mr. McMahon?" She glanced at Glenn. "Whatcha doing with the Big Red Monster?"

"Glenn meet Thea Andrews. Your new rookie trainee," Vince said, looking between the two of them.

Glenn stared up at Thea. Surprise was in her ice blue eyes and a black ring glistened on her bottom lip. Her slim body was shown off by her tied gray and black tiger-striped midriff shirt and matching tight tiger-striped pants. Fingerless gloves were on her hands, matching the purple of her hair perfectly. She did not look Japanese and even her name wasn't Japanese.

"Vince, are you sure you want me to train with this guy?" Thea asked, frowning as she looked over Glenn. "I mean, I really don't want to have to act like one of his 'zombies' or anything. I'm not _that _into the Brothers of Destruction. I thought you'd give me to someone cooler. Or someone scarier."

"Are you kidding?" Drew asked, coming over to the side of the ring to put his own two cents in. "Glenn is scary even when he's not in character. He could break you like a twig, Thea."

Glenn couldn't help but smirk. He knew about his reputation on and off the series and he was proud that it made everyone think twice about coming after him.

Thea on the other hand didn't look impressed as she flipped over the ropes and jumped down to stand in front of him. She was tall, but her head only came up to the top of his chest. She cocked her head to one side, studying him.

"Fine. I'll be his rookie, but there are some things I want to get cleared up with him first," she said after a moment. She looked him dead in the eye with a serious expression on her face. "I will not be a zombie. I will not tolerate being treated as weaker than I really am. I will not get you coffee at any time of the day or night unless I want coffee myself and you ask me _nicely_. I am not going to be an errand girl as long as you have working legs and can do things on your own. Do not underestimate me and do not make me mad or..." She glanced down and back up with an evil smirk. "You'll be singing soprano."

"Is that all?" Glenn asked, glaring down at her.

A sweet smile replaced the smirk. "Yes."

Vince smiled at the two of them with that cocky smile that irritated Glenn so much. "I can tell that you two are going to hit it off nicely. And Glenn, she's going to debut with you tonight during your match against Dolph Ziggler. She'll be ringside of course. Not fighting and not interfering."

Thea looked put out as she leaned against the side of the ring. "I don't see why you won't let me wrestle any of the guys yet, Vince. I can take them."

"That's a given," Drew mumbled, rolling his shoulder where Glenn could see a rather large bruise developing.

Thea glanced up at him and smiled playfully. "It was your fault that you got hurt. You grabbed my ass."

"By accident."

"If you say so."

"If I'm going to train you, you're going to have to stop acting like a child," Glenn told her bluntly. "I won't tolerate it during training sessions – mine or yours – so grow up and act like a professional."

Thea's ice blue eyes found his again and she frowned, but didn't say anything about it. Vince clapped her on the shoulder and wished her good luck before walking off. Drew asked if Thea would like to come back up and spar with him again.

"I have to ask and see if Kane will let me," Thea said with a sarcastic edge.

"Spar if you want," Glenn said, walking off to sit on a chair. "Let's see your form."

OOOOOOOOOO

Thea didn't pay much attention to Glenn as she circled Drew, looking for an opening while blocking the Scottish man's attacks. She caught him across the throat and sent him crashing to the ground. He rolled out of the way of her stomp which would have hit him on the head. He tried to knock her feet out from under her with a fast sweep of his arm, but she jumped over it with ease.

"Drew, Drew, Drew," she purred, slamming her knee into his back once. Twice. Three times. "I thought you were supposed to be a real tough guy with an undefeated streak...or the happy memories of one..."

"Ah lass, you're aiming for my pride now? What have I done to deserve that?" Drew asked, getting to his feet gingerly.

"Um...how about leaving me in the rain two weeks ago?" Thea ducked under his arm as he came charging at her. "I didn't like that very much."

"I said I was sorry earlier," Drew reminded her, lunging at her again, his fist connecting with her stomach but the blow didn't seem to faze her as much as he had intended it to. "I gave you a bear and a box of chocolate as part of the apology."

"Oh. That's right." Thea pulled him into a submission hold that she knew Glenn had never seen implemented before and hoped he would never be able to counter if he was placed in it. "Welcome to the Viper Pit anyway."

She caught Glenn leaning forward to study the move better out of the corner of her eye. Drew was fighting to find a way out of the submission hold, but as far as Thea knew, no one could get out of it once she had a good hold on them. Once it was locked in, there were only two ways out: tap out or grab the bottom rope. And since they were so far away from the ropes and there was no way Drew could make them get any closer, that left him with only one option.

"All right! All right!" Drew exclaimed, tapping out as hard and as fast as he could when the pressure grew too much to bear. "I give!"

Thea smiled and unwrapped herself from around him, releasing the areas where the most pressure was put on him first so he wouldn't be permanently damaged. "Now you are completely forgiven Drew."

She got to her feet and offered him a hand up. A warning look was earned when Drew grabbed her by the forearm, quickly ending the thoughts of retribution even if they were playful. Somehow, they both ended up smiling and laughing.

"It's good to have you in this brand instead of on Raw," Drew said, holding the ropes up for her to slip through. "We can't have Stephen hogging you to himself."

"As Sheamus, that man scares the crap out of me." She glanced over at Glenn who was standing now. "Unlike Glenn."

"Thea, that man is a scary man in and out of the ring. Me, I pride myself in being a confident man, but between you and me, that man scares the hell out of me," Drew admitted with a cautious glance in Glenn's direction to make sure the man wasn't any closer. "I didn't think anyone could be scarier than you...on that one time a month..."

"Aw..." Thea hugged him around the waist. "I'll protect you from the big scary Big Red Monster, Drew." She made a face. "Ew! You stink. Go take a shower."  
Drew sniffed himself. "A shower would be a good idea, I suppose." He sniffed her hair. "You don't need one...yet. So, how about we meet up in about a couple hours and go find some breakfast."

"All right but you're buying."

"Fine."

Thea watched Drew walk up the ramp and disappear backstage. She then turned to find herself looking at Glenn's chest. Thankfully it was covered or she knew that she would be staring at something that could have poked her eye out. She took a step back and looked up at him.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Where did you learn that submission hold?" Glenn demanded.

"Um...I invented it back in tenth grade," Thea told him simply. "It's helped me win a boatload of matches and it's going to keep helping me win until someone finds a way to get out of it. And that's probably not going to happen."

"Is it a legal move?"

"Of course it's legal. Vince convinced the right people and made my move legal. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here and instead I would be frying hamburgers at the nearest Burger King and kicking people's asses if they looked at me the wrong way."

"You shouldn't use a move like that too often. People might consider you _predictable_."

"Hon, if I was so predictable, I wouldn't be lined up to kick some big boys' butts in a few weeks. And I wouldn't be winning against all the other rookies they line me up against. So predictable is not in my job description."

Glenn looked down at her with what Thea knew was obvious doubt mixed with distaste. She wasn't really bothered by that because she had seen that look before.

"Listen," she began. "You may not like this situation that we are in, with you being my mentor and all, but that's the hand that we were dealt by Vince. He makes the rules and we have to live by them. Personally, I'd rather have Paul Levesque as my mentor or someone closer to my age, but I can understand why Vince didn't see it my way. He didn't need a romance to bloom between me and someone. Now, I'm not saying that you're not an attractive man, you're just not my kind of attractive." She took a step back. "I'm just asking for you to help me make my name known in this sport. In a good way. Do you think you can help me with that?"

Glenn stared down at her for a moment. Thea didn't try to give him her best pleading eyes or smile encouragingly. She knew there was no way that he was going to be moved by those kinds of things. Not if he was as bad as Drew made him out to be.

"I don't have much of a choice," Glenn said finally. "But you better not disappoint me. Understand?"  
Thea nodded once before Glenn turned his back on her. "I wouldn't dream of it, coach."

OOOOOOOOOO

Thea watched the TV backstage, smirking as Dolph Ziggler paraded about in that pleather outfit of his. She never understood that man or his choices especially to go after Kane. She had to wonder if the man had any braincells in that overly large head of his or ones that actually functioned.

She glanced to her left when she heard someone move. Kane was standing there, decked out in his famous black wrestling tights with the red designs on them. His eyes were narrowed as he watched the screen displaying what was happening out in the ring.

"Hey," she said, getting his attention. "You'll kick his ass."

Kane glanced at her and then turned as his intro music blared. "Come."

Thea followed him as he exited through the gorilla entrance. She glanced around at all the screaming people and saw some of them look confused at her presence. She could even hear the commentators having trouble understanding what she was doing there. Why was a girl hanging out with the Big Red Monster was what they wanted to know. She'd let them draw their own conclusions before her big reveal in a few weeks. As long as they didn't think she was his mysterious new girlfriend she was fine with what they could come up with to explain her presence there.

She admired the way her skin looked when the flames shot up in the air from the posts of the ring upon Kane's cue. Obviously Dolph did too because once he was back in the ring he looked at her and offered her a cheesy grin.

"Hi there, precious," he said loud enough only for her, the ref, and Kane to hear. "Come to cheer for me?"

Thea shook her head and looked at Kane as the ref started the match. And so her lessons began...

OOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: See? I told you that something was going to be absolutely weird about the OC in this story. She wrestles boys and if you can't handle that, then I suggest you only stick around for the other parts to this story that will come to light in a few chapters or so.**

**Please review to let me know how I'm doing so far. (And yes, I know this chapter is short, but this is only the introduction of the OC.) So, I'll see you again when it comes time to update! **


	2. Chapter 2

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea was a fast learner. Glenn realized this when he began to train her and test her skills. She was fast and strong in her attacks, warding off his blows like they were nothing to her. She stayed in the ring long past break time and stayed in the gym for a couple hours after everyone had gone to bed. People called her dedicated, but Glenn was unsure of whether or not he should encourage such behavior.

He had seen that kind of behavior before in other people who had never gotten really far in their wrestling careers. They had burned themselves out or had overworked themselves so much that they had to end their careers early because of the permanent damage they had done to themselves. And they still didn't realize that they had done it to themselves with all the practicing and exercising.

True, exercising was a good thing, but it had to be done properly and in moderation. Otherwise, you would hurt yourself more than you benefited from it. Glenn was afraid that his rookie would be like them, so he enforced the rule that she could only exercise when he was there to watch over her and she had to leave the ring when he told her to.

"Sure thing coach," she had said with a smile and their practice had continued.

Now he stood at the bottom of the ramp, waiting for her to come out to meet her opponent – Matt Hardy – and show the world what she could do. He was sure of two things as he watched her come into view. She was going to hurt Matt Hardy and make a huge splash into the WWE universe. What happened after that, he was sure that she would be able to handle it.

Her eyes met his as she walked by and she gave the shadow of a wink as the announcer introduced her as the Viper. (**A/N: I know Randy Orton is the Viper, but this is a girl and I was out of ideas!**) Kane nodded his head once and turned to watch her slide into the ring and charm the crowd with her movements and smile. He was startled when she walked over to Matt and offered her hand out to him and he saw that Matt was also confused.

"Good luck," she said with a smile.

Matt smiled and shook her hand. "You too."  
She waved to the crowd and backed into her own corner, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she waited for the bell to sound. The bell sounded and she launched herself into a flurry of attacks that Matt could barely ward off. Matt hit the mat and rolled out of the way of her elbow, which Kane heard hit the mat with a loud crack.

Thea got to her feet and massaged her elbow as Matt circled her. Kane saw the wheels in her head turning quickly as Matt charged at her and that's when she did something that surprised him and the rest of the world.

Thea grabbed Matt and used his momentum to get him up in the air. Matt must have been surprised by the sudden height because his legs stood straight up in the air as Thea held him up. Then with a smirk at the crowd's sudden intake of air, Thea dropped Matt down on the mat with a loud bang. Matt's head bounced on the mat and he laid still. She placed one booted foot on his chest and the ref counted to two before Matt decided to kick out.

Kane shook his head and glanced over at the commentators who seemed as confused about Matt's decision to endure more pain as he was. According to them, Thea was a weapon of mass destruction and of pain. Staying in the ring with her for much longer was risking one's body in a game of Russian roulette.

Thea rubbed her arm again as she let Matt get to his feet rather shakily. Kane had to wonder if she had really damaged it or if it was all part of a plan to get Matt where she wanted him because upon seeing her holding her elbow, Matt decided to focus his attacks on her arms. She let him grab her before she reversed the move and sent him crashing into the mat again. Two attacks later, she decided to give him a break and dropped down to cover him.

"One...two...three," the ref said, hitting the mat with each word.

The bell sounded and Thea got to her feet.

"And the winner of the match by pinfall is the Viper!" the announcer told the crowd who cheered loudly.

Thea absorbed the cheers for a moment before slipping out of the ring. She looked at Kane and marched up the ramp, hitting her new fans' hands with her right hand. Kane followed her and saw that she wasn't moving her left arm around much.

Backstage, she idly chatted with some of her friends as they congratulated her on her first official match. Matt showed up and he teased her about how he had been taking it easy on her. She laughed and asked him not to take it so personally, that she was just doing her job. Even when she was hugging her friends or shaking hands with Matt, Kane noticed that she avoided using her left hand.

He managed to corner her when she was getting a water bottle off a table. "Thea, we need to talk."

"What's wrong Glenn?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Your elbow...did you hurt it when you fell?" he asked, unsure why he was so concerned about it.

Thea glanced down at her elbow and quickly turned so that Glenn couldn't get a good look at it, but he did see that it did look a bit swollen. "It's fine...really."

Glenn reached around her and grabbed the elbow in question, squeezing it not too gently. He watched Thea's eyes cloud over with pain, but she fought to keep from wincing. Glenn applied some more pressure and she winced.

"Go put some ice on it," he ordered, releasing her.

Thea frowned and walked off to do as he ordered, rubbing her elbow as she went. Glenn sighed and shook his head, turning to find Triple H and HBK watching him. Both men had knowing looks on their faces.

"What?" he demanded.

"I think the Big Red Monster's heart is thawing a little," Triple H commented, looking at HBK. "What do you think?"

"I think we're going to have to mop it off the floor if it melts anymore," HBK said with a smile. "Could it be that our distant friend has finally found someone to – dare I say it?" He shook his head. "I can't. You say it Triple H."

"Love?" Triple H suggested.

"Yep. That's the word I was looking for. Love."

Glenn glared at the two smiling men. "Don't spread around that lie or you'll regret it."

"We wouldn't dream of it," Triple H told him, backing off. "Not when our girl Thea is the one involved. She needs someone a bit...younger to go after and well, you are old enough to be her father."

Glenn's eyes darkened in suppressed anger. "I am aware of that."

"Good. So if you love her...watch yourself. We wouldn't want anyone to think you were a cradle robber."

Glenn watched the two men walk off to show boat or whatever they did. He didn't care. He just wanted to know what was going on that made him concerned about the rookie in his care.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea frowned as she exited the locker room and shifted her purse from her left shoulder to her right shoulder. She had already popped four Ibuprofen in her mouth and had done everything that people suggested she do to her elbow to help reduce the swelling and the pain. It wasn't really bothering her at the moment, but she knew that it was bound to start causing her problems when the pills wore off.

_I can't believe I screwed up that move_, Thea thought, grinding her teeth as she walked through the halls of the backstage area, not seeing or hearing her fellow wrestlers. _I shouldn't have landed that hard...I didn't in practices. Why did I have to mess up in my first official match? This has the potential of coming back and biting me in the ass in my next matches...I can't believe it!_

"Thea!" it wasn't until they were right upon her that Thea was aware that someone was saying her name.

"Oh!" She looked over at the person at her side. "Drew...Sorry, I didn't hear you. I was lost in my head."

"And I bet that's one place everyone should avoid," Drew teased, nudging her playfully. Then his face became serious. "How's the elbow?"

"Eh...It could be better."

"I saw you landed on it the wrong way." Drew commented. "I didn't think you would do something like that...you didn't when you and Matt were practicing for the match."

"I know. I made a mistake, but it won't happen again," Thea promised. "There is no way I'm going to let anyone get the best of me just because I can't land properly. What would my coach think?"

"Yeah, you've definitely got to live up to some high expectations with Glenn as your coach. You have to hit harder, move faster, and absorb all the damage that your enemies give you without showing how bad it really hurts you." Drew glanced over her. "I'm surprised you're not black and blue all over from the amount of practicing that man puts you through."

"Makeup does wonders when it comes to hiding things. But I don't have any bruises that are painful. They're light and are already fading. I don't think there's going to be much more of them once I get into the pattern of training with .him."

"Don't get too comfy or that man will get into your mind and twist you into something like himself..."

"You worry too much about him. Glenn isn't that bad of a guy, he's just...grouchy. And we all can handle grouchy."

"Of course we can. In moderation." Drew held open a door for her. "But that man is grouchy one hundred percent of the time and there isn't going to be anything to change that."

Thea smirked. "Well maybe that's because no one's tried."

"What's the point if the man keeps walls built up around himself? Walls were meant to keep people out."

"Walls were meant to be knocked down or climbed over," Thea corrected, hailing a taxi. "Like my career...I had some major walls to climb over or break through and now look at me. I'm beating up big boys and making a huge splash into the wrestling universe."

"There is never going to be another girl like you in this sport," Drew said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they slipped into the taxi.

"I don't know. There's another girl who is coming from Japan who could be also be part of this new revolution..."

"Fine, but it still stands that there will never be another girl like you."

"Aw...you're so sweet." Thea hugged him before jumping up to lean close to the driver. "Hey pal, do you know where there is a really good bar around here? One with really good music?"

The taxi driver nodded and Thea scooted back in her seat. Drew reached over and touched her sore elbow.

"Did you bind it?" he asked, noticing that it was stiff to the touch.

"Yeah. Mark told me to after he scared Nick away because Nick was bothering me."

"You talked to Mark?"

"Yes. I talked to the Dead Man." She glanced at him. "Why shouldn't I? He's a nice man..."

"He's almost as bad as Glenn."

"He's a real estate salesman. Those people are evil, but Mark isn't like them. He's a nice man and he actually cares about what us young people are doing to ourselves. Even you, Mr. I-Want-My-Streak-Back."

Drew smiled and leaned back in the seat. "A man has to have something to look forward to. My undefeated streak was good for as long as it lasted. I don't need it as long as I can be guaranteed not to go against you in a match. We'd both end up hurting."

"You'd be feeling it worse though."  
"I know."

The two lapsed into silence as Thea checked her cellphone for messages left by the select few who had her cell phone number. Maria wanted to know where she was. Stephen was asking if she wanted to go out for a cup of coffee in the morning. And there were a few other messages that she wouldn't bother to reply to because they came from the McMahon family.

"Thea, I want you to be careful," Drew said suddenly. "I don't like seeing you in pain...not like it was a year ago..."

Thea frowned as the picture of the paramedics surrounding her flashed across her mind's eye. She didn't like to be reminded of that incident.

"Promise me that you won't let Glenn make you go past your limit. If you feel like you can't go on, then stop. Let someone count you out and accept defeat before something really bad happens to you. Can you promise me that?"

She nodded. "I promise."

"Good because Stephen would kill me twice if something bad happened to you and I didn't do anything to stop it."

Thea rested her head against his shoulder and let him pet her hair. She had known that he was always watching over her when she was wrestling or practicing. Maybe he was even watching her exercise with Glenn, but because of that incident over a year ago? She didn't want him to suffer as he had then, when he saw her like that...And she didn't want to experience that kind of pain again. It had taken her all this time to recover and had delayed her entrance into the official Smackdown roster. No, she wasn't going to put either of them through that again.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea hadn't drank much at the bar. Being only eighteen made it illegal for the barkeeps to sell her more than sodas and virgin drinks, but it wasn't like she wanted the alcohol anyway. So she didn't get drunk and could focus more on dancing to the music and shooting pool with her friends. At least she wouldn't be the one with the headaches in the morning.

After getting back from the bar and saying goodnight to the friends who hitched a ride with her, Thea went up to her room to change into some sweats and headed into the gym. No one was there when she got there and she was okay with that. She just needed to get a decent workout and then she'd call it a night or morning since it was a quarter past midnight.

She started slowly, stretching first and then running on the treadmill, until she was warmed up enough to do some bench presses. Her left arm shook as she lifted the weights, but she refused to let the weight come down on her. She held it for ten reps and then let it come down before pushing back up.

"Damn!" she hissed when her arm shook violently and started to give.

She quickly put the weight back and sat up, cradling her throbbing elbow. _What the hell did I do to it?_Thea asked herself.

A shadow loomed over her and Thea looked up rather guiltily. It was Glenn and he didn't look happy that she had broken one of the rules he had set out for her. But she couldn't remember if he ever looked happy about anything.

"It's going to keep hurting if you don't take it easy," Glenn said, sitting on the bench beside hers. "Do you want it to grow into a more serious problem?"

"No."

"Then take it easy." He held out one of his massive hands. "Let me see it."  
Thea reluctantly held her arm out and let him take the bandages off of it. The swelling had gone down, but it still hurt because it was past time to take some more pain killers. She didn't bother hiding her wince as Glenn's fingers explored the injured area.

"Might have cracked something..." Glenn muttered more to himself than to her.

Thea frowned and looked away. Cracking something was bad. Cracking something meant time off of work to recover and there was no way in Hell that she was going to take time off after just one official match. It couldn't be cracked...

What Glenn did next surprised her. His hands became gentler and started rubbing at the sore spots on her elbow, massaging away the pain. Thea glanced at him and wondered what was up.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn had no clue why he was being so gentle with Thea. Had she been someone else, he would have told her to go take some pain medicine and sleep it off. But he didn't. Instead he was massaging her elbow, treating her like she was something fragile instead of a regular WWE star.

Her ice blue eyes were searching his face for answers that he didn't have, so Glenn decided to not meet her eyes. If he was clueless about his actions, then she could remain in the dark too.

He continued to massage her elbow for another five minutes when her eyes lost that pained look. She took her arm back and balled up the bandages that had bound her arm earlier before standing up as he did.

"Thanks," she said with a small smile.

Glenn stared down at her. "You should take some pain medicine and go to bed."

"Should I go to bed with Icy Hot?" she asked.

Glenn nodded after a moment's thought. Nick passed by the gym and noticed the two of them in the gym standing so close to each other.

"Cradle robber!" he coughed loud enough for the two of them to hear.

Glenn wheeled around and glared after the bleach blond. "Nick...is going to die."

"Go ahead, beat up a drunk man," Thea said, walking past him. "See what honor that brings you after he sues your ass and you end up in jail. Then the McMahon brats will be all over you with suspensions and fines and crummy story lines. What good will that do for me? None."

"It's not all about you."

"And it's not all about you either. Nick is mocking you. People do that to other people out of fun and you don't see the mocked people going out seeking death upon the mockers. That's not how normal people function." Thea frowned and threw the bandages in a nearby trashcan. "You need to know how to work with people because you are only human. Your life is short, your career is even shorter. Live life without regrets and with the knowledge that you are going to be missed when you go." She looked at him. "Because if you go now, there's only going to be one person that will miss you."

Glenn glared at her. "Who?"

Thea turned her back on him and started walking away. "Me."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Triple update for the first upload, so please continue on if you don't want to review, but reviews would be nice...Your choice.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Third part of the first upload. Hope you like it so far because right now, I'm pissed.**

OOOOOOOOOO

Thea's arm didn't hurt when she woke up to her cell phone ringing later in the morning. Silently, she thanked Glenn for having magic fingers even though she knew she would never be allowed to give him credit for it. Instead of lingering on thoughts of that man, she picked up her phone and pressed it against her ear.

"Hello?" she yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Lass, are you just getting up?" Stephen asked, automatically waking Thea up just a little bit more.

"Yeah..."  
"Late night work out?"

"Yeah..." It amazed her how Stephen and Drew seemed to know more about her than her old friends did when they hadn't known her for very long. "It was one of those nights..."

"Are you still up for coffee?" Stephen asked. "Because I can go myself if you want a few more hours of sleep."

"When you put it that way, I guess I have no choice but to get dressed and come down there for some coffee." Thea said, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. "Hopefully there's a large banana nut muffin involved somewhere in that plan."

Stephen laughed and Thea was glad that it wasn't that evil laugh that he had when he was in character. Sheamus was one scary S.O.B and Thea liked it when Stephen was separated from that scariness. She had enough scary in her life when dealing with the grumpiest of the Brothers of Destruction.

"Of course there is," Stephen said. "I haven't forgotten your obsession for the banana muffins."

"It's not an obsession. It's just an extreme like." Thea corrected, grabbing random clothes out of her bag and hoping that they'd match. "So, give me about fifteen minutes and I'll be down there for the coffee and my muffin."

"All right."

Thea hung up and ran into the bathroom, jumping into the shower. Sixteen and a half minutes later, she was smoothing down the front of her black t-shirt with a green viper on it and stuffing her cell phone in the back pocket of her jeans as she stepped out of the elevator. Her eyes wandered over the sleepy faces of the people in the lobby in search of Stephen's friendly face. Somehow, he seemed to be wide awake even though she was sure that he had come back to the hotel long after she had gone to bed. She didn't think it was fair.

"Good morning," Stephen said, smiling brightly. "Are you ready to get mobbed at a coffee shop?"

Thea shrugged. "Sure. Why not? It's not like I didn't sign up for that kind of thing when I accepted a job here."

"We're walking," Stephen told her, offering her an arm. "If you would do me the honor..."

Thea took his arm and marched out into the morning sun. There wasn't as much paparazzi or fans waiting out there like she thought there would be, but there were enough to make her hesitate. Stephen smiled encouragingly and continued to walk with her, waving to the people who called out to him, instantly recognizing him as Sheamus. Someone asked if he was dating her and Stephen laughed.

"I wish!" he laughed. "But she keeps turning me down!"

Thea couldn't help but laugh at that. He hadn't asked her out at all and she knew that he wasn't going to because they didn't feel the spark. And they were both firm believers in the spark that happens when you connect with someone. They could only be really good friends unless they grew tired of looking and decided to get together. At least then they'd have a good base to build a romantic relationship on.

"We're practically family," Thea told the person who had asked the question. "Besides, I'm too high maintenance for him."

Fans called out to the two of them for pictures, but other superstars were coming out and they were quickly forgotten. They weren't exactly big name wrestlers yet. They couldn't compare to the Hardy brothers quite yet.

"So, did you enjoy your first official match?" Stephen asked, glancing at Thea.

"It was better than all of the unofficial matches," Thea admitted, putting her sunglasses on. "It wasn't as fun as I thought it would be...Maybe I need to go against someone bigger next time."

"Bigger doesn't always mean better. Besides, you need to take it slow at first, get adjusted to the boys you go against and their techniques so you are prepared for the bigger boys." He chuckled. "Of course, I could have helped you with your career if you would have agreed to be a Raw superstar."

"Sorry, but I really had no choice in the matter after that bet you made with Drew. You could have beaten Dave in arm wrestling had you actually tried just a little bit more, but you didn't. Drew did. So to the roster of Smackdown I went."

Stephen frowned. "Now you know that wasn't my fault. The table was slippery from the beer and -" He caught her giggling. "What?"

"I love you accent," Thea simply said, smiling at him. "But I still can barely tell the difference between a Scottish accent and an Irish one."

"Don't mix up the two in either country or they're going to bring the pain to you," Stephen said with a smile. "Unless I'm there to protect you."

"Yep, you and Drew are my favorite protectors," Thea told him, resting her head against his shoulder. "And my best friends."

OOOOOOOOOO

Glenn glanced to his left as he lifted a heavy weight and saw that Thea was walking into the gym with a guilty look on her face as she put her purple and black hair in a ponytail. She was fifteen minutes late for training/practice, so he knew she had every reason to have that guilt on her face. He'd have to find some way to punish her later.

"Sorry Glenn," she muttered, hopping over. "I got held up at the coffee shop I went to with Stephen and -"

"Save it," Glenn said, dropping the weight. "Go warm up by running three miles on a treadmill. Then we'll work on bench presses."

Thea glanced at the treadmills before shrugging. "Suit yourself Coach."

Glenn watched her walk over to the treadmill and get situated. She bumped up the speed and incline after a moment of brisk jogging. He knew it was probably all part of a caffeine rush thanks to all the coffee the young people of today drank.

"Slow it down," he ordered. "You'll wear yourself out before the real training begins."

Thea rolled her eyes and clicked the button that turned the speed down. "Did I piss you off or something Glenn?"

"You were late for practice," Glenn said simply, crossing his arms. "Fifteen minutes of training that could have been used to improve your skills for your match this Friday."

Thea frowned at him as she continued to run. "Another match already?"

"What did you think would happen if you decided to join the wrestling circuit? You'd get a match every now and then?" Glenn smirked at her. "No, you're the special one now and Mr. McMahon wants to show you off to the WWE universe as much as he can."

"Give the people what they want to see..."

"Exactly."

Glenn watched the girl zone back into running on the treadmill. He watched her for a moment, appreciating the muscles that were displayed with each powerful movement she made. When he realized what he was doing, he shook himself and walked away before he could get too caught up in it.

_What the hell is going on? _Glenn thought picking up another weight. _She's just a girl and my rookie...Why do I keep looking at her like that?_

The room was silent except for the sounds of the treadmill and Glenn's breathing. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Thea was skipping on the treadmill. A hard look got her to cut out the fun act and be serious about her training, even if her actions brought the shadow of a smile on his face. Just a shadow though.

"Hey, I didn't know this was training time," Nick's voice proceeded him in the gym. "Especially for our newest member..."

Glenn watched the bleach blonde approach the purple haired phenom. She hardly gave the boy attention until he was leaning against the treadmill she was running on.

"Hey, I'm Nick," the blonde said, offering a hand out. "My ring name is Dolph...I'm sure you've heard of me."

Thea glanced at him. "You're the annoying blonde who thinks he's perfect and likes to use the sleeper hold to knock out opponents rather than display what little skills you have....So yeah, I've heard about you."

The insults didn't seem to have an affect on the blonde. "And what's your name?"

"I'm Thea 'the Viper' Andrews and no I won't go out with you. I won't be in any storyline with you beyond the occasional match, so don't ask. And you can tell that to your boss because honestly, I don't work with ditzy, cocky, creepers like you."

Glenn was pleased to see that that seemed to get through Nick's thick head. Mr. Perfect looked astounded that a girl would treat him like that off camera when he wasn't acting super cocky. This was just Nick being Nick and honestly, how Glenn could tell the difference was beyond him.

"You'd have to do whatever the boss tells you to do," Nick pointed out. "And I might make a suggestion to him about a storyline involving me, you, and..." He glanced almost casually at Glenn with that cocky smile on his face again. "And your oversized coach."

Thea glanced at Glenn as she turned the treadmill off. There was a look in her eyes that Glenn recognized and he gave the hint of a nod. Thea smiled and jumped on Nick's back, putting him in his own sleeper hold.

"Nighty night Nick," she crooned as the boy fell to his knees. "Unless you agree to go to the other side of the gym and not interfere with me and my training. Understand?"

Nick nodded and clawed at the phenom's arms as they continued to put pressure on his neck. Thea leaned her head close to his ear.

"Wimp."

With that, she released him and trotted over to Glenn's side. Nick rubbed his neck as he straightened and glared at her.

"What did you think you were doing?" he demanded. "You know it's against the rules to start a fight offstage unless a McMahon agrees to add it to part of a storyline, don't you? I could have you suspended!"

Glenn dropped the weight that he was holding and glared at Nick. "You want to have a match against me again Nick?"

The blonde shook his head, paling visibly. "N-no."

"Then I suggest you turn around and walk away. This is Thea's practice and she will get her own punishment for starting a fight with you."

"Hey!" Thea exclaimed. "Technically I didn't start a fight with him. I just put him in a sleeper hold."

Glenn glared at her, effectively making her shut her mouth. She frowned at him and looked away. Glenn turned his attention back to Nick who was watching Thea with longing in his eyes.

_Pretty faces will do that to a man_, Glenn thought, shaking his head.

"Nick."

"Fine. I'll leave you two alone, but don't expect me to give up on getting acquainted with you. I plan to know every single female in this whole damn sport," Nick stated, throwing one more look at Thea before walking away. "See you in the ring, Viper."

Thea looked between him and Glenn. "Am I going to go against _him _next week?"

Glenn shrugged and told her to go do twenty reps of bench pressing. That got her to shut her mouth and let him see how good her endurance was after hurting her elbow. And part of him was starting to like seeing her work out her muscles...

_Something is definitely wrong with me..._Glenn thought with a frown as he spotted her.

OOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: And here's a bit of drabble in light of the drafts that took place...**

Thea walked down the halls behind stage and noticed that the Shaman of Sexy was walking towards her. She crossed her arms and looked straight ahead, avoiding eye contact.

"Hey Thea," John Morrison said, waving.

Thea stuck her nose up in the air and continued walking past him. John turned and walked after her.

"Thea?"

"Excuse me? Do I know you?" Thea asked, turning to look at him.

"Yeah, I'm John, the Shaman of Sexy," John said, gesturing at his flamboyant coat. "The Friday Night Delight. We've been friends for a few weeks now..."

"I'm sorry, but the only Shaman of Sexy I know works for Friday Night Smackdown. And you appear to work for Raw..." Thea looked at a clipboard in her hand. "Yep. Says right here that a John Morrison works for Raw..." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Traitor."

"Thea, you know I had nothing to do with that," John stated. "It wasn't my idea and you know I had to go with Ron."

Thea turned and walked away. "Don't care. I'm telling your girlfriend on you."

"Thea? Thea? THEA!!!" John called, falling to his knees.

R-Truth was walking by and saw John on his knees. He shook his head and continued walking. "Don't try it man. She won't be convinced. Believe me. I've tried."

John glanced over his shoulder at his tag team partner and sighed in defeat. "Sorry Thea..."  
OOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So I'm pissed about the draft for Raw and Smackdown.(That's why this chapter is so short.) They moved John Morrison and R-Truth to Raw which I can't see because I don't have cable. So yay me...no more eye candy. Bub-bye John...But at least, Kane remained so there will be no change to this story (as if there would be a change at all...) Review me please...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: My thanks goes out to the person that reviewed and the people that decided to favorite/alert me. So far, I think the story is going well based on what little I know from watching Smackdown. I hope I don't let you guys down...**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea acknowledged people who passed her in the halls backstage with the nod of the head, even if she didn't really know who they were. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces, some new to the roster, that she didn't recognize, but she hadn't really researched many of the people involved in WWE. She'd focused on the big names and watched only the ones who had appeared on the TV every week. Now she kind of regretted it because there seemed to be more people that she hadn't really given a chance as a friendly coworker.

_Maybe I should throw a party or something where everyone can hang out together,_ Thea thought with a small smile as she continued to walk. _I could mingle and get to know everyone worth remembering._

"Oh my gosh! Fashion disaster coming through!" someone exclaimed as she walked past them. "Stripes? Seriously?"

Thea froze and turned around to look for the one who had spoken. She frowned when she saw that it was Michelle and Layla and they had a camera behind them.

"Excuse me?" Thea crossed her arms. "What's wrong with my outfit?"

"Nothing really," Michelle said, adjusting the collar of her FLAWLESS jacket. "It's just..."

"Stripes were so last year," Layla finished for her.

"Exactly. And we Divas have to be on the cutting edge of fashion," Michelle continued, walking over to the purple haired phenom. "Now, we can't have you sinking down the perpetual hole of fashion no-nos, can we? We're here to help you because we're friends, right?"  
"Yeah we're friends," Layla agreed, wrapping an arm around Thea. "We're just think you need to change your fashion and your hair color and then you'll be perfect."

"Change my hair color?" Thea asked, touching her hair.

"Yes. Maybe we should go black or even better blonde." Michelle leaned close to Layla. "Don't you think she would look fabulous blonde?"

"She'd look even better without those piercings. Is that a lip ring? And her eyebrow is pierced? Oh no. No, no, no, no...that won't do!"

Thea was growing uncomfortable as she listened to the two Divas rattle on and on about the changes they could make to her wardrobe and her hair. She thought she was decent. Maybe not a beauty, but decent. Was she really as weird looking as those two thought she was? Why hadn't Drew or Stephen told her?

"Hey, what's going on over here?" someone asked and a good looking brunette appeared next to Thea.

"Oh, hi John," Michelle greeted with a flawless smile in the direction of the Shaman of Sexy. "We were just giving Thea advice on how she can make herself look better in this sport. What do you think of her going blonde?"

John looked at Thea and smiled. "What's wrong with the way she looks now?"

"It's a bit freaky and outdated," Layla pointed out, gesturing at the stripes. "Don't you think she'd look better wearing something else?"

"I like the way she looks now," John admitted with a broad smile. "It's different and in no way outdated. I think you girls are just jealous."

Michelle and Layla looked shocked. "Jealous?"

"Yeah."

The two FLAWLESS Divas walked away, muttering to each other at high speed about how they were not jealous and how John was hot but had poor fashion sense when it came to girls. John shook his head at their behavior and offered Thea a piece of gum.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Uh...yeah. I guess," Thea muttered, popping the gum in her mouth.

"You guess?"

"Well, how is a girl supposed to feel when she gets picked on for what she wears?" Thea blinked in surprise. "I'm just like Mickie James...I'm going to get picked on by team Lay-Cool and -" She stopped when she saw that John was laughing. "What?"

"Michelle and Layla pick on all the Divas every once in a while," John explained, putting a friendly arm around her shoulders. "It's what they do. Being able to withstand their jabs is something every Diva needs to be able to handle in order to prove she's tough enough to handle the sport. And I think you're tough enough because you did manage to take down Matt Hardy in your first week here."

"I still think Stephen and Drew lied to me. They said 'Thea, you're pretty' and now I'm hearing 'freak' being played over and over in my head. Who is right and who is wrong?"  
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," John commented. "Listen to what your friends say and listen to what your heart says. You are pretty. Other girls are just jealous and insecure. Okay?"

Thea nodded, still unsure of herself, but she forced a smile anyway. "Okay."

"Your music's about to play," John said, glancing at a nearby TV. "You should really start heading out."

Thea hurried away and stopped behind the gorilla entrance, waiting for her cue. Her music started playing and with a deep breath, she walked out and waved to the WWE universe as she made her way down the ramp. Kane was already waiting by the side of ring for her like he always was with a smirk on his face. Thea forced a smirk to match his and climbed into the ring, moving around to each corner to wave to the crowd.

She froze when she heard John Morrison's music start playing. _How could I forget that he's my opponent? Those two brats must have really gotten to me..._

She watched John come down the ramp and show boat for the crowd who cheered even louder than they did for her. She swore she saw some girls squeal and pass out at the sight of John's body. He turned to her and shrugged out of his coat, pulling his sunglasses off in the process.

"Good luck Viper," he said with a charismatic smile.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane watched Thea make counters, make gains, and take the hits without hesitation. He noticed though that she didn't seem to have her head completely in the game. She messed up some moves and almost got counted out once or twice. It was only her quickness that got her out of the sticky situations she put herself in.

John Morrison did a flying kick that knocked her to the mat. She pushed herself up only to be knocked down again. Still she somehow managed to get up and get out of the way of John's next attack, sending him flying into the corner.

Kane could see that Thea was breathing hard and holding her side that had been abused the most by John Morrison's attacks. She glanced at him and he yelled at her to pay attention. John speared her and got in the position to do Star-ship Pain. Thea wasn't quick enough to move out of the way of the move and Kane shook his head in disappointment.

_The match has just been sealed_, Kane thought bitterly.

The ref started his count when John pinned the Viper. Before the ref could count to two, Thea kicked out. John looked down at her and told her to give up before she really got hurt, but she ignored him and got to her feet. Then her assault began.

The commentators were talking and Kane could barely make out what they were saying. They were again calling Thea a weapon of mass destruction and were wondering how she could make it through so many painful moves.

_She's not the dainty girl that everyone thinks she is, _Kane told himself, watching Thea make up the lost ground over John. _In her is a fighter and she knows how to channel pain into fuel to bring more pain to her opponents. That's how all wrestlers should be...then we could call it a real sport._

"This girl is really something," one of the commentators said. "This just goes to prove that women are full of surprises..."

Thea climbed onto the ropes when she had John down on the mat and jumped off with a high flip. The crowd gasped when she came down on John hard, but Kane was watching her instead. He saw how her head clipped the mat and how she appeared dazed when she rolled to her feet. John lay still on the mat.

Thea went for it and won the match, without revealing her submission hold. She stayed in the ring and helped John to his feet. He grimaced through his pain and took his coat and glasses back. As a sign of no hard feelings, he have her the sunglasses before they slid out of the ring.

Kane was already at the ramp when the two superstars made it there. "You messed up," he stated. "Why?"

Thea looked at him as she made it up the ramp. "I don't know. Maybe because no one can be perfect one hundred percent of the time. Have you ever thought about that?"

Kane glared at her and walked after her. "That's no excuse. You could have seriously injured yourself out there."

"I didn't. So be happy."

"Thea -"

"Back off Glenn!"

"Hey Fashion Disaster," Layla called, coming over. "You're lucky that you had the Shaman of Sexy out there to distract the people because otherwise, they would have called you out for your lack of fashion sense."

Kane saw the hurt cloud Thea's eyes and he felt his anger start to build though he didn't know why. "Thea -"

Thea walked away without a word to anyone. She didn't wave to her friends or coworkers who congratulated her on her second victory. She just continued walking and disappeared down the hall that led to the girl's locker room.

"Oops. I seem to have made our little Viper Fashion Disaster so upset," Layla crooned, looking proud of herself.

"You really know how to overdue things sometimes Layla," John commented, shaking his head.

"I was only being honest," Layla muttered, her hands going on her hips. "And honesty is a virtue."

Kane glared at her and Layla paled, hurrying away.

"I don't like that girl," Kane growled.

"Welcome to the club," John said before walking away. "You might want to check on your rookie once she comes out of the locker room. Or get Drew to do it for you."

Kane watched the younger man walk away before moving out of the way of a camera crew. He didn't feel like having his picture taken or having to suffer through an interview. Luckily, the camera crew kept moving and didn't spare him another look.

_Why am I so protective of the girl? _Kane asked himself, his thoughts returning to Thea now that there was nothing to distract him. _What makes her different from the rest of them?_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn didn't find Thea until after the show was over. She had somehow made it back to the hotel without anyone knowing and he immediately sought her out. Drew was the one to find her first in the ballroom at the piano. Glenn hesitated in the shadows, listening to her voice over the sound of the piano.

"_I am an oversight just like a parasite. Why am I so pathetic? I know you won't forget it,_" Thea sang, playing a song that he didn't recognize. "_Just call my name, you'll be okay , your scream is burning through my veins. Sooner or later you're going to hate her. Go ahead and throw my life away..._"

"Thea," Drew said, putting a hand over one of hers and effectively ending the music. "What are you doing?"

Thea shook her head and pulled her hands into her lap. "I'm working out the bad feelings..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Drew asked, sitting on the bench next to her.

"Not really..."

"I saw what Layla and Michelle did to you when I was watching the tape," Drew commented. "Now, I'm not saying that it was the right thing, but I thought you could handle something like that. You told me that people always made fun of your style when you were younger. You said that you never let it get to you because you wanted to be different from everyone else. You wanted to be unique.

"Thea, what happened that changed you from that tough skinned girl to this girl singing songs about how pathetic she thinks she is?"

Thea looked at Drew and her eyes were distant. "I changed because of that one match Drew. Seeing all those bruises, the cuts, and the blood...it made me think about how people would see me afterward. Would I make a full recovery and no one would ever tell the difference except me? Would I be permanently scarred so that I couldn't be proud of my body anymore?"

_What match? _Glenn asked himself, watching the two friends talk.

"Lass, that was over a year ago. You've healed completely. There are no scars and -"

"Drew, there are scars on the inside. I don't look at myself in the mirror and see the old me who thought she was pretty. I see the battered aftermath of that one stupid match that I made the worst decisions of my life in and I hate it..." She sighed. "What Layla and Michelle said made me feel like they could see the scars too. Like they could tell I didn't think I was pretty anymore. They are pretty. They've had accidents and still they're as beautiful as when they first started. All the Divas are. And then you have me and -"

"Thea Lei Andrews," Drew said, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Stop thinking that you're not beautiful because you _are _beautiful. You always have been and you always will be. If others think you're not beautiful, screw them. They don't know what beautiful really is or else they would see what so many other people see in you."  
Thea still looked sad and Glenn thought she was going to break down and cry. Drew hugged her, obscuring her face from view and whispered something in her ear. Glenn turned and walked away, thinking about what he had learned.

Fifteen minutes later, he was in his room using the free wireless internet that the hotel offered on his laptop. He had to know what Thea and Drew were talking about when they said 'that match'. He searched through headlines on the web looking for anything that stood out. That's when he came across a link that claimed to show the video of the match that nearly ended Thea's career and more. He clicked the link and watched the video.

_How could anyone survive that? _Glenn thought, his eyes widening in horror and shock as he watched Thea get wheeled away by the paramedics ten minutes later on the video. _All that damage...Where were the referees and security? They should have pulled that guy off of her sooner...There was so much blood...Why didn't she move like she was supposed to when she saw the weapon coming at her? What was the person in charge thinking? They should have ended the match when she could barely get to her feet. But the match kept going. She could barely take the punches and then her opponent used the weapon she had brought up against her...What were they all thinking?_

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. He set his laptop aside and walked over to it. Thea was standing there, still looking like she had had better days.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you," she muttered, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans. "But I wanted to tell you that I'm going to get up early tomorrow to do some training with Drew and Stephen."

"Okay," Glenn said, looking down at her.

"I just thought you'd like to know," Thea went on. "Maybe you could give me some pointers on how to beat people without sustaining so much damage."

"Yeah," Glenn agreed.

Thea glanced past him and saw what was on his laptop. "So you know..."

"Thea -"

"I don't want to talk about that night right now Glenn," Thea cut across him. "I'm going out with some of the nicer Divas and some guys. I'll see you in the morning at practice. Okay?"

Glenn knew better than to pursue the topic. "I'll see you in the morning."

Thea nodded and walked off. Glenn watched her disappear into the elevator before closing the door. Tonight was going to be a long night...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So something bad happened to Thea in her past. You know that it had something to do with a match against a guy and there was a weapon used. You don't know where she was hurt or much more than that, but I'll get around to revealing that later. **

**I enjoy reviews, so any that you send my way will be appreciated. I'll try updating as soon as I get another chapter or two ready. Until then, review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews and the faves you guys. That's what a girl likes to see. That and John Morrison's body...but since we can't make a story all about that, let's get back to the real story. And I'm talking about the one with Kane and Thea...**

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Thea glanced up from her submission hold on Stephen when she heard someone move behind Drew. She smirked when she saw him do a slight double take. She wondered if it was because she was executing the new Cobra 9 submission hold that targeted the arms and lower back of her opponent or the fact that she was wearing short shorts. And she was betting that it was the move based on what little she knew of him.

"About time you showed up Glenn," she said, looking back down at Stephen who was making pained faces as she adjusted the hold. "I was wondering if you were going to pull yourself out of La-la land to help me out here."

"You're not the one who needs help," Drew commented, watching Stephen with a smirk on his face. "How are you doing Stephen?"

Thea laughed at the dirty look that Stephen shot in Drew's direction. "Oh come on Stephen. Lighten up. There are other more painful moves I could put your through. If you want I could -"

"No lass, I think this is painful enough," Stephen hissed between his teeth. "When do you think you're going to let go?"

"When you say 'uncle'," Thea told him with a sweet little smile.

"Uncle."

Thea released him and kicked him forward so that he fell on his face. He rotated his shoulders as he stood up again and turned around to look at her. She bounced on the balls of her feet, anticipating an attack that never came.

"C'mon Stephen, where's Mr. Scary?" Thea teased, circling him. "Bring out Mr. Scary. I want to kick his pale ass."

"Why can't you beat up Drew? He hasn't been hit in awhile..."

Thea glanced at Drew. "But he's not scary. I want to take on scary."

"And I can't get bruises because I'm going to be having a match next Friday," Drew added.

"Well, I'm going to have a match on Monday," Stephen countered.

Thea rolled her eyes as the two men started bickering and wandered over to a punching bag. Under Glenn's watchful eye she started punching and kicking the punching bag as hard as she could. She was used to the boys getting into arguments during random training exercises but sometimes she just couldn't stand to listen to them. It was best to do something else and let them come to their senses on their own.

"Shift your footing," Glenn's voice rumbled in her ears.

"What?" She glanced at him in confusion.

He showed her the correct way to position to her feet. "And follow through like this to keep yourself from being open to an attack." He showed her a follow through. "You try."

Thea adjusted her stance and attacked the punching bag. Glenn coached her at first, telling her to follow through after each hit and then he let her fall into her own rhythm. She only stopped when her hands started hurting and her legs burned.

"Thanks for the pointers Glenn," she said, smiling a half smile at him. "Do you think that's going to help me beat someone like you?"

"If you pair it up with other moves that aim to injure your opponent, maybe you'll last a little longer in a match with someone like me," Glenn commented, passing her a water bottle. "What was that submission hold you had Stephen in?"

Thea scratched her head and glanced around like it was a big secret. "Cobra 9. Another one of my six submission holds."

"Six?"

"Yeah, but I'm going to keep the others a secret until I think it's necessary to use them. And by that time, I'll warn people where they will hurt the most. It's not like we can have the commentators and bloggers passing around the wrong information about my submission holds. That would just blow."

She noticed Glenn looking down at her with a glimmer of pity in his eyes as she took a swig of her water bottle. She was very aware of how viewing videos about that match could sway a person's opinion of her and how they'd would treat her differently afterward. It was something she had faced when she had started wrestling again.

"Don't look at me like that," she ordered, capping the water bottle. "I know you know about that match. Thousands of wrestling fanatics know about that match. Some people think it was all faked, but most know it was the real deal. I got hurt. That's all you need to know right now."

"I need to know more," Glenn told her bluntly. "As your mentor, I need to know everything about you – what you can and can't do – so that something bad doesn't happen to you in the ring. What happened at the match?"

Thea sighed and plopped down on the mat on the floor. She hadn't expected him to play the mentor card. Or the what-could-happen card for that matter. She didn't like feeling pressured into telling him about the worst night of her life, but she knew it was bound to come out anytime now and she'd rather him hear what really happened and not some edited version that made someone look like the bad guy or someone else had more of the fault in the whole incident.

"If I tell you what happened, will you leave me alone about the whole thing and cut the pity crap out?" she demanded, looking up at him.

Glenn nodded.

Thea sighed and tapped the side of her water bottle, thinking of where to begin. "I was lined up for an extreme rules match that was totally extreme. Blood was allowed as long as we didn't kill each other. It took us some practice to get the big moves planned out, but we didn't tell each other about all the things we would do...so that's how the weapons got involved.

"I shouldn't have brought the sledgehammer up, but I thought I could crack something with it or slam it into his gut. He got to me before I could use it though and I dropped it...He slammed me into the mat so many times my head was beginning to pound, but still I fought on. And so did he. When blood started coming from my busted lip, the ref asked if I wanted out of the match. I told him no and the fight continued...

"When he came at me with the sledgehammer, I knew I should have gone to the side to avoid it, but I wasn't thinking straight. He nailed me in the stomach and it was like being hit by a semi...I fell to my knees and he slammed his knee into my face. Somehow he found some kind of wire or something like it and started hitting me with it. I couldn't stand the pain and rolled out of the ring onto the floor to assess the damage...but he wouldn't have any of it because I kept saying that I could go on when the ref asked me if I wanted to stop the match."

Thea's eyes watered as she remembered the wire biting into her flesh and tearing at her wrestling attire. The blows to face and stomach. It brought back the pain that she didn't want anymore.

"And...and then he pulled me onto the mat again, grabbed my hair, and started punching me in the face repeatedly. I tried blocking him, but he got most of the hits in before I could bring my arms up to push him away. He was crying now, begging me to end the match because he was barely injured compared to me. He wanted to end this, but I kept saying that I was going to kick his ass and turn the whole match around in my favor." She gave a wry smile. "I let my ego get the best of me and kept the match going even when I could barely stand up. That's when he did his finisher...and I hit the mat. He just stood over me, tears and my blood streaming down his face, afraid to touch me. I tried to get up, but I fell down and I kept falling each time I tried to." Her eyes darkened. "And then some masked man came out of nowhere and slammed his knee into my face. I hit the mat and the ref called the match. Disqualification, no winners. All losers.

"I woke up in the hospital a day later even though the boss said I had been awake from the moment the match ended to the point I was placed in the ambulance. Apparently, I'd been complaining thickly about my body being on fire with pain...I don't quite remember that, but I remember the pain that came before and after I blacked out. It was a lot on me."

"I bet," Glenn commented.

Thea sniffed and stood up. "I've got to...go meet with someone about an interview...you know because I'm a new wrestler...yeah...Bye."

She hurried away and ignored the looks that Stephen and Drew sent her way. She couldn't stand to think about what she had put them through or what she had been through. It wasn't right and it made her sick to her stomach to think about it all over again.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn watched Thea leave, all the details of her match running through his brain at high speed. She had been seriously hurt and he had seen her relive it through her eyes. She hadn't wanted to, but she had told him everything that happened. Except about the masked man's fate and name.

"Hey Glenn," Stephen said, walking over. "Why'd you make Thea recount her worst match?"

"I needed to know what happened and how badly she was hurt," Glenn told the man who had little fear. "And she only told me part of that."

"You could have asked someone else," Drew muttered, crossing his arms. "We were all at that match. We saw what happened to her. We have the pictures."

"Pictures?"

Stephen pulled out his cell phone and messed with some buttons. Wordlessly he handed over the phone and let Glenn thumb through the photos.

"She was badly hurt Jacobs," Drew stated. "Her ribs were cracked. She had a concussion. Her back was sliced open in several areas though not as deeply as people thought with all the blood. Her nose was broken. Her eye was swollen shut for a few days and then she had to deal with double black eyes. Her lip required stitches." He sighed. "We were all just glad that it wasn't any worse."

Glenn's eyes widened as he saw close up images of the injuries to Thea's back. Her eye that was so dark and swollen and the other that was just surrounded by darkness and bloodshot. The bloody mess that was her bottom lip. The mottled bruises on her abdomen where the sledgehammer had hit her.

"No one is supposed to hit that hard," Glenn stated, flipping through more images of the mess that Thea's opponent had left behind.

"When Thea is in the role of Viper, she doesn't want anyone to hold back," Stephen announced, shaking his head from the memory. "She doesn't hold back against them and they are encouraged to fight back with all they've got. That's why I won't let her go against me in a match. I'm not going to be the one to hurt her. Practice yes, but not a real match."  
"And I won't do it either." Drew looked at Glenn. "We already told the McMahon family that we wouldn't let her wrestle in anymore extreme matches. No Last Man Standing or extreme street fights. We know Thea still has that wild streak in her that seeks out danger, but we can't let her unleash it because we don't want her back in the place you see in those photos. We don't want to go through that pain again and we definitely don't want Thea to experience that level of pain again. It took her months to recover and I know it was hard on her because the girl was born to wrestle."

Glenn shook his head and handed the phone back to Stephen. "Why wasn't I told of this sooner?"

"I thought that Vince told you about it," Drew said. "When he first handed Thea over to you, I thought he would have had a private meeting and showed you what happened and laid down the law about what matches Thea can and can't participate in."

"He didn't."

Stephen looked at Drew. "Well I guess we shouldn't have expected otherwise. Vince doesn't care about his wrestlers unless they make him some big money. He'd care less if one of us dropped dead, Chosen One."

Drew smirked. "You're right about that. Look how easily they moved on past Umaga's death..."

Glenn frowned, wondering what this had to do with Thea. He had expected one of the McMahon brats to tell him everything he needed to know about his rookie. Obviously they were on different pages because he had been kept in the dark until now.

"And don't think we're glad that you are her mentor Glenn," Stephen said, breaking into Glenn's thoughts. "We don't like that she has someone who is known to go after those who could cause more pain. You may like to have people beat the tar out of you, but don't expect Thea to be the same way. I know she'll be ready to prove herself to you and the WWE universe in no time, but I'd rather her be remembered for a few decent, boring matches than a match that completely ended her career."

Glenn stared down at the Celtic Warrior. "I'm not going to make her do things she's not capable of doing without harming herself."

"That's not good enough. I don't want her hurt beyond the normal bumps and bruises." He held up his fist. "If she gets a bruise bigger than my fist, then we're going to be exchanging more than words. Understand?"

"Are you threatening me?" Glenn demanded.

"No, I'm making a promise. Let Thea get hurt and I'll collect on that promise," Stephen swore before walking away.

Drew threw Glenn a look that said that he would be there to back up the Celtic Warrior before he too walked away. Glenn stood there, thinking about everything. He hoped Thea knew what her friends were willing to do to protect her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea's day grew from bad to good more quickly than she thought it would. She had met the other new female wrestler, Kari, who would take on boys too. Apparently, the girl thought that Thea was a god for leading the way in this new opportunity for the most daring of the female wrestlers. Thea personally just liked the idea of doing what she had always done: beat up the boys.

Maria convinced her to go out to a club on their last night in the city. Thea agreed and with a flash of her ID, she was allowed in (the bouncer didn't look close enough to see her age) with Maria and some of the other Divas. Other wrestlers were already in the club, scattered amongst the people. Some were dancing, others were drowning their internal pains with booze, and a few were signing autographs for people who recognized them. Maria was recognized from her time on _The Apprentice_ and was whisked away to hand out some autographs and take some photos with eager fans.

Thea wound her way to the dance floor and hovered near the edge, swaying to the music. Jeff, free from all the makeup she usually saw him wearing, noticed her and waved her over from his spot on the dance floor with his girlfriend. Thea smiled, knowing that he was only being nice, and joined the moving mass on the dance floor. She didn't get too close to him because she didn't feel like getting between him and his girlfriend, but she did dance a little with his brother. Matt was nice and didn't try to feel her up as they danced.

_And to think I thought he was a bad man for the longest time_, Thea thought with a small shake of her head. _He's really not so bad..._

The song ended and the bodies paused in their movements for a moment. The next song was a slow dance and Thea bit her lip, looking for the quickest way out of there. Couples were joining up around her and she was sure most of the people didn't really know who they were partnered up with it. They were just caught up in the moment and were seeking to have a good time.

_If only it were that easy_, Thea mused, slipping around couples on her way off the dance floor. _Where is Maria?_

Maria waved from a table and smiled as Thea came over. "I saw you dancing. Why didn't you tell me you had some moves in you beyond wrestling?"

"It never came up," Thea muttered, sitting down next to the dark haired bombshell. "And I really don't dance a lot in public. Mostly just in my room, with some close friends, or at random moments when I'm listening to my Mp3 player."

Maria laughed. "I'm sure that will change. Shy little Divas turn into outgoing ones in no time in the Smackdown branch. And I am always here if you need to learn some new moves."

"Thanks."

The two girls fell silent for a moment or two. Maria was busy checking her phone for messages and watching the crowd dance. Thea sipped at her Coke and sang the song that was playing to herself quietly.

"Ooh, there's some guys checking you out," Maria commented with a pretty smile.

"What?" Thea sat up straight. "Where?"

"Behind you," Maria said, wiggling her fingers at someone behind Thea. "And they're rather cute."  
Thea casually glanced over her shoulder and smiled. There were a couple of guys watching the two Divas from the bar. She had to admit that they were cute.

"Are you sure they aren't just looking at you? Remember, I'm a full ten years younger than you," Thea said, taking another sip of her Coke.

"Yeah, but they don't know that and they don't need to know that I'm _that _much older than you. I look good for my age, don't I?" She suddenly looked disappointed. "Damn. They got distracted by plastic."

Thea cocked an eyebrow and looked back at the bar. Michelle was talking to the two guys with Layla and a couple other Divas that Thea couldn't remember the names of. Obviously, the two guys fell for any pretty faces because they quickly got up and headed to the dance floor with the small group of Divas. She rolled her eyes and looked back at Maria who still looked put out.

"Oh come on Maria," she said, touching the girl's hand. "There are plenty of boys out there to go around."  
Maria's face brightened. "Right!" She grabbed Thea's hand and stood up. "Let's go dance!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn had heard that some of the young wrestlers were going to be at a club, enjoying their last night in the city. He had been asked to go by a couple of the older wrestlers, to keep an eye on them because no one wanted a repeat of what had happened to Chris Irvine in Covington, Kentucky. Personally, he thought the young ones could use a lesson in what could happen if they let themselves indulge too much in alcohol.

_Looks like Chris hasn't learned_, Glenn thought, watching the blonde throw a shot of alcohol down his throat. _And Phil is a hypocrite..._

Phil was sitting next to Andrew, talking over beer with empty bottles collected in front of them. Phil seemed to be having trouble speaking clearly and Andrew was hiccuping at random intervals. They didn't seem to notice that Serena was passed out next to them with drool coming out of the side of her mouth.

Glenn shook his head and located other wrestlers scattered around the club. They didn't seem too drunk or intoxicated on more than pure energy. They all seemed to be having some good clean fun, but Glenn doubted that it could be considered really clean with all the bump and grind action that was going on on the dance floor.

He sat down at the bar, facing the crowd and far away from Phil and his Straight Edge Society group. He didn't flag down the barkeep, but chose to watch the people dancing. Some couples moved out of the way and he saw his rookie dancing with Maria, Drew, and Stephen like she didn't have a care in the world.

_At least she's happy now_, Glenn thought with a small smirk. _Can't say I wanted her to drown in sorrow today, but it's odd to see that she rebounded so quickly...She is an odd girl._

It'd been a long time since Glenn had watched a girl dance. True, his stepdaughters liked to dance around, but he rarely saw them anymore. They had their own lives and since he was no longer with his wife – their divorce had been a messy one – they didn't go out of their way to see him. And he had seen the Divas dance on the show, but he hadn't really paid attention to them. Seeing his rookie dance was another story.

His mind pulled her movements into things she could do for her career. He choreographed moves that she could do while in the ring that would help her avoid the worst attacks from her opponents. He sighed and turned around, shaking his head.

_I really need to stop thinking about her, _Glenn thought bitterly, finally hailing the barkeep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea had her hands on Drew's shoulders and his hands were on her hips as they danced to the music a little later. Maria had disappeared into the crowd to find Matt so they could dance because she had said that she had promised him a dance. Sheamus said he didn't do slow dances and had gone off to find a table, leaving the Scot and the little Japanese wrestler alone in their own little world.

"So, how did the interview go?" Drew asked with a small smile.

Thea looked confused. "Interview?"  
"There was no interview, was there?"

Thea frowned. "There was an interview...Someone wanted to know what it was like to be a girl taking on the boys and I told them that it was like beating up boys at school during the middle school years, only to an extreme level. " She shrugged. "They wanted to know other things too."  
"Like what?"

"Like how tall I am." She smiled mischievously. "How tall am I, Drew?"

"Five feet, eleven inches," Drew told her. "Only your personality makes you seem bigger."

Thea laughed a light, sweet sounding laugh. "That's right. How much do I weigh?"

"A lady never reveals her weight."

"Good man." She smiled. "You'll make a woman very happy one day with your excellent memory of everything important...And she'll be very lucky to have you."  
"I'll just be lucky if she's as entertaining and caring like you," Drew admitted with a genuine good-guy smile on his face.

Thea smiled up at him and rested her cheek against his shoulder. "You're a sweet guy. Sometimes I wonder what I've done to deserve people like you and Stephen, but hey, I'm not complaining."

They danced in silence for a few more minutes. Thea glanced over at the bar and noticed someone familiar sitting there. _What's he doing over there all by himself?_

Drew noticed her attention wasn't really on the dance anymore and looked in the same direction that she was. "Does he have a tracking device on you or something? He's going to kill the mood."

"Be nice." Thea watched the Big Red Monster for a moment longer before the music stopped. "I think he needs some company..."

"I'm not going over there to be buddy-buddy."  
"I didn't ask you to. I will."  
Thea released Drew and started off the dance floor. She smiled and plopped herself on the stool next to the brooding Big Red Monster and pretended not to notice him at first.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn saw someone sit down next to him when the slow dance music changed into something more upbeat. It was his rookie, but she didn't seem to notice that it was him. He didn't feel like making her aware that it was him though and chose to remain silent as he took a swig of his beer.

"Drinking is bad for you," Thea told him, glancing in his direction. "Kills your liver."

Glenn grunted in response to that and took another swig of beer. The purple haired phenom shook her head and accepted the Coke that the barkeep gave her. She drummed her fingertips against the top of the bar and looked at him.

"Would you care if I drank alcohol?" she asked.

"It'll kill your liver."  
"Then why do you do it?"

Glenn looked at her with one eye. "I don't see why you care about me drinking."

Thea bit her bottom lip and Glenn was surprised to find that he thought it made her appear cuter. "I just don't want you to get so drunk that you do something that lands your butt in jail and gets you suspended. You don't need either of those on your record."  
"It wouldn't affect you, so you shouldn't care."

"The fact is that I do care. You're supposed to be a positive role model for me. You're supposed to be the _good _guy and lead me down the straight and narrow. Getting drunk, that would change a lot of things if you got arrested...So please, don't get drunk."

"I can hold down my alcohol."

"I never said that you couldn't."

"And I'm not stupid enough to drink and drive."  
"Good."

The girl lapsed into silence and drank her Coke. Glenn glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He caught his eyes starting to drift downward on her person and quickly looked away.

"Hey Glenn," someone said with a drunken drawl.

Glenn glanced over his shoulder. "What do you want Nick?"

"You think you're such a...big dog in the wrestling circuit but I know better..." Nick mumbled, coming to stand between Thea's stool and Glenn's. "You're jealous...losing your touch because you're old..."

Glenn glared at the younger man and set his beer aside. "Really..."

"Yeah... and you've never been good looking...everyone hates you and...you don't deserve to have the rookie you have...she's too good for you..." Nick continued.

Glenn stood up and glared down at the blonde. Thea was watching Nick with a hard look on her face, but Nick wasn't done talking.

"And that's why your wife left you...she couldn't stand having someone as ugly as you...there was no love in the relationship...only pity...poor pitiful Glenn...can't keep a wife..."

Glenn pulled his fist back and launched it forward at Nick's face. A smaller hand caught it and held it back. Glenn looked at Thea in surprise, finding her in Nick's place.

"Don't," was all she said.

"But -"

"Don't," she repeated.

Glenn let his hand drop to his side and looked away. He heard his rookie talking to Nick, telling him that if he went outside with her that he'd enjoy what he'd find. Her voice sounded so seductive and promising that it bothered Glenn and he turned around to find her leading Nick away. They were out the door before he could form any words to keep her from going out there.

A few seconds later, a guy ran into the club and drew everyone's attention. "There's a fight outside!"

Warning bells went off in Glenn's head and he quickly forced his way through the crowd and out the door. What he saw in the parking lot surprised him.

Thea was punching and kicking Nick as vehemently as she could. The drunken man couldn't block her attacks and his nose was spewing blood. A ring of people were surrounding them and they were cheering for her to kick Nick's ass.

Glenn started forward and grabbed Thea, pulling her away from the bleeding man. She kicked out, trying to catch the blonde on the chin, but Glenn pulled her back in time to avoid that move.

"Cut it out," he ordered in his rumbling voice. "He's not worth it."

Thea stopped fighting against him and relaxed. Glenn set her down, but remained ready to grab her again in case she decided to go after the bleeding Nick again. She made no move towards him, but did pull off her over shirt to reveal her white spaghetti strap underneath.

"Nick take this and use it for your nose," she muttered, throwing the over shirt at the blonde. "And go back to your hotel."

Nick pressed the shirt against his nose and hurried away, stumbling a little because he was still very drunk. Thea sighed and crossed her arms. The spectators, sensing that the fight was over, turned and headed back into the club.

"What did you think you were doing?" Glenn demanded, looking down at her.

"I was doing something you can't do without killing someone," Thea stated, glaring up at him. "You can't risk a suspension when your up for a number one contender's match next week. I can risk getting suspended because I'm not supposed to go for a championship match anytime soon. Right?"

Glenn nodded.

"And I needed to work out the rest of the bad feelings that came with the memories of the match," Thea continued. "So, beating up a drunk helped. I don't want to hear another word about the match that nearly ended my career and I don't want it to cross my mind anymore. Understand? Good."

She smoothed her hair back and looked out at the darkness. Glenn could see a thin film of sweat covering her body and saw that she was trembling. He thought there was something he should do, but didn't know what could be done.

"I'm going to walk back to the hotel," she muttered, looking back at him. "I think that will help me cool down, you know? So, I'll see you tomorrow morning on the plane. Okay?"

She didn't give him time to answer before she walked off into the darkness. Glenn watched her leave and stood there in silence, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea rubbed her arm as she walked down the city's streets, thinking about what she had just done. She hadn't thought much about beating Nick up outside the ring. He was just annoying and she had lived with so many annoying people in her life that he really didn't bother her enough for her to want to beat the living daylight out of him.

_It's because of Glenn...he was making fun of Glenn and his ex-wife..._Thea thought, glancing up at the sky. _Why did I get so riled up about that? It was perfectly harmless, drunken talk. Glenn should have been more pissed than me, but...Why did I do something like that when I could get in more trouble than he would have? _

_It's because of Glenn and I have no idea why I'm going out of my way to defend him and prove myself to him...I have absolutely no idea and maybe I don't want to know..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: I know you weren't expecting for Thea to reveal the details of the match so soon, but I just had to do it. And I bet you didn't expect her to get in a fight with Nick out of the ring. Or maybe you did...Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter enough to review me. And does anyone have any guesses as to who the mysterious masked man was? I'd love to hear your guesses, so please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: WOOHOO! Within hours of posting the last chapter, I got two reviews. You guys are awesome! Haven't seen Smackdown in awhile, but now that school is out for summer, I can see it whenever it comes on...**

**And I'm trying to make the story easier to understand for people. I use Kane whenever it's on Smackdown and Glenn whenever it's normal everyday activities. I have to find another name to call Thea when she's on Smackdown and maybe you can give me some help there. I know she's called the Viper, but she needs another name too...Think it over while you're reading the next installment of Sorry...**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn threw Thea across the practice ring and watched her catch herself on the ropes. They had been practicing for around an hour and she wasn't slowing down. He could tell that she was hurting, but she definitely wasn't slowing down in the slightest. And he wouldn't let himself slow down either.

"How exactly is throwing me around going to help me beat someone in the future?" Thea demanded, circling him as she looked for an opening.

"I'm trying to get you to toughen up and think on your feet," Glenn told her, keeping an eye on her. "You have to be able to take hits and not all of them are going to be easy on you."

"That's a given," Thea muttered, feinting right and then swiping his legs out from underneath of him in one fluid motion.

Glenn hit the mat and rolled to his feet, ready for her next attack. She jumped up on the turnbuckle and sat there, waiting for him to come after her. Glenn wasn't going to fall for it though. They stared at each other across the ring, each coming up with a plan to give the other a beat down.

Then her cell phone went off, signaling the end of practice. He had a set limit of time to practice with her at one time now that he knew what had happened to her. She wasn't too thrilled about the sudden change in practice, but at least they practiced in the ring a couple of times a day and did other training exercises when they couldn't be in the ring.

"Darn," the Japanese phenom complained, jumping off the turnbuckle. "Practice is over."

"No it isn't." Glenn told her.

"Fine. In-the-ring practice is over and now I have to learn moves on a regular mat and improve my reflexes." Thea rolled her eyes. "Do I seriously have to go through this again?"

"If you want to continue to wrestle, you'll do what I tell you." Glenn smirked. "Don't tell me you're ready to throw in the towel?"

Thea gave him a look and spun around, delivering a kick that would make HBK proud if he had seen it. Glenn's head snapped back and he fell on the mat with a bang. Thea laughed at him and flipped out of the ring before he could get to his feet again. He got to his feet and watched her vault over random objects placed around the training areas, obviously not caring if they had been brought there for her or not.

Glenn had to remind himself that unlike him, she was on good terms with the better part of the wrestling community. True, she had found some formidable enemies in her short time on the wrestling track, but she had built up a support system of fellow coworkers who loved her for her uniqueness. Even he could barely keep a straight face around her, but he wouldn't let it show. People counted on him to be the distant, emotionless Big Red Monster even when the cameras were off.

"Knock it off," he ordered, climbing out of the practice ring.

"No!" Thea called back, vaulting off another object before running up a wall and doing a flip off of it. "Can't knock it off! It'll come right back!"

Glenn shook his head and watched the girl run circles around the training area, bouncing off of things like she was a pinball. He had to admit she had energy and part of him wondered where it came from. She danced around him and jumped onto the ring. Unfortunately for her, she somehow ended up getting her legs tangled up in the ropes and hung there upside down with a frown on her face.

"Oh damn," she complained, looking up at her tangled legs. "Guess I'm doing hanging sit ups over here."

Glenn couldn't hold it in and laughed. Thea laughed when she saw him laughing and held her sides. It wasn't his Kane laugh, but a happier sound that no one had heard in a long time.

"Do my ears deceive me? Is the Big Red Monster actually laughing? Happily?" someone asked.

Glenn's laughter cut off abruptly when he realized that Josh Mathews was approaching with a camera man. The camera was already recording and it was too late to take back the laughter. Thea let out one last laugh before doing her hanging sit ups.

"What do you want Josh?" Glenn demanded becoming Kane in an instant.

"The WWE universe has been asking for weeks about the dynamic duo of the Big Red Monster and the Viper," Josh said. "They'd like to know how this came about because we all know that Thea was never part of the NXT roster."

Thea held her hand up. "I'll tell you how it happened Josh...Mr. McMahon found me on the streets, beating up boys and heard about my past with fire. He thought that there would be no better person to be my mentor than the Big Red Monster since he was affected by fire too. So, Vince handed me over and I had my trial by fire before Kane would accept me as his rookie. Still gives me nightmares thinking about the trial...But here I am."  
Kane had heard about the story only once. Thea had concocted it with the help of a McMahon brat to explain away the fact that she hadn't been in the NXT roster before being signed to the Smackdown roster. It had been a longer story, but Thea had given the abridged version to save time.

"Really?" Josh looked amused. "And how have you handled the rigorous training sessions that the Big Red Monster must put you through?"

Thea gestured at her legs, still tangled in the ropes. "I'd say I've been handling them pretty well. My bruises are fading fast and my energy is going through the roof." She laughed. "I'm even managing to get a few hits now and then on him."  
The camera turned on Kane. He glared at the camera like he could see all the people who would be watching the interview in the next show.

"Kane, you told Mr. McMahon that you never wanted a rookie," Josh pointed out. "Yet, here you have one and she's a girl. What brought about the change of heart?"  
"There was no change of heart," Kane growled. "I don't want a rookie but the McMahon family wanted to bring another person into the feud between Brothers of Destruction. So they gave me her and they gave that parasite, Kari, to my brother. The winner of the two of them will decide which brother is the best and will determine who has to leave Smackdown forever."  
Thea managed to untangle her legs and flipped to her feet. "I wasn't told of that part. I don't want to take down Kari just to solve a feud between you and Taker. You can solve it yourself."

Kane glared down at her. "You will do as I say or I'll see to it that you go back to wrestling girls only!"

Thea opened her mouth to say something, but closed it quickly without uttering a sound. She turned and scooped up her gym bag, heading for the showers. Kane caught himself staring after her. To everyone else, his eyes were as hard as ever, but he knew that something was melting in the coldness of his eyes whenever he looked at Thea.

"Kane..."  
"We're done here," Kane told Josh, walking away.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea squirmed in her seat as a makeup artist worked on her face. She wanted to pound someone's face in because of all the interviews that she had to participate in. As the first female wrestler to take on the boys as well as girls professionally, people wanted to know what made her so special. They wanted to know more about her because most of her life was in shadow. And she had avoided being in front of an interviewer's camera for too long in Vince McMahon's opinion. So he had Teddy Long and Vickie Guerrero set up as many interviews in a day for her with outfit changes provided.

_I'm going to trash Vickie's office as soon as I get the chance_, Thea thought bitterly as the makeup artist made a few finishing touches. _Which won't be until after the photo shoot. Dammit!_

She got up and followed someone to the spot in front of the cameras, surrounded by studio lights. Already she could feel the heat coming off the lights and hoped that she wouldn't sweat away her life in front of the cameras. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, Glenn, don't do that!" she exclaimed, looking up at him as she eased herself into a chair. "I'm nervous enough as it is!"

"How many interviews have you been through today?" Glenn asked, handing her a water bottle.

"Counting the one this morning with Josh..." She counted on her fingers for a moment. "Ten. I'm very popular today."  
"I know." He frowned at her. "You've missed this afternoon's practice."

"And I'm going to miss this evening's practice too," Thea muttered, glancing around nervously. "Vince did this on purpose, you know? He wanted to get me under pressure and waited until he got the highest bidders for the interviews with me. Did you have to go through this when you were younger?"

"Not to this level."

"Oh."

Thea uncapped the bottle and took a swig of the water. "I haven't eaten all day." She glanced at him. "You wouldn't want to go get a bite to eat after I'm done with this, would you?"

"A date?"

"Not a date. Just two coworkers going out to have some dinner and talk about anything that comes up." She smiled. "Topic number one can be how much we hate Mr. McMahon and Vickie Guerrero." She took up a very serious face and cleared her throat. "Excuse me!" she exclaimed in a very Vickie-like voice. "Ow."  
"If it hurts, don't do it."

"Except wrestling. Do that until it's way past hurting."

Glenn nodded and turned when he heard heels clicking on the floor. Mary Hart was approaching with blue cards in her hands. She smiled at him.

"Hi Glenn," she said. "I haven't seen you in a long time."

Glenn nodded and clapped a hand on Thea's shoulder. "Knock them dead."

"I plan to," Thea muttered, watching him walk beyond the camera's view. "Hi Mary."

"Are you ready to go through with this Ms. Andrews?" Mary asked kindly.

"I am."

"Good."

The director of the interview counted down and then said action. Thea smiled at Mary as the interview began.

"I'm sitting here with one of the newest members of the WWE Smackdown roster, Thea Andrews," Mary said, speaking to the camera. "Thea, you've been causing quite a stir in the sports world. What's it like being the first woman to wrestle men professionally?"  
"It's an amazing experience," Thea told her. "Then again, girls everywhere do it all the time. Maybe not professionally, but there are girls all over the world who beat up the boys who pull their hairs and just tick them off." She smiled. "I'm just doing what I've done since I was three."

"Who was the first boy you wrestled?" Mary asked.

"My older brother, Lee. The biggest jerk I know and the best big brother I could ask for. He has a scar on his chin where I hit him a little too hard, but he doesn't hold it against me. He's got enough looks for people to overlook that little flaw."  
"Now Thea, people are wondering what your love life is like," Mary went on with the next topic of the interview that Thea was unprepared for. "Some say that you're going out with Drew Galloway and others are saying that you're going out with Stephen Farrelly."

Thea laughed. "I have heard those rumors too. Drew and Stephen share a joke with me that I'm dating each of them on a different day of the week, alternating on Sundays. But I'm seriously not dating either of them. We're just great friends and they've been really supportive of me ever since we met and they've helped me through all the bad times." She shrugged. "Maybe one day I'll date one of them if I can't find some other Prince Charming that will treat me as good as those two. They'll probably have an arm wrestling match to find out which one will get to date me at that time."

"Arm wrestling match?"

"That's how the boys decide all the big things. Stephen usually wins, but Drew won the match that determined which roster I was going to go to."

"Really?" Thea nodded. "Now Thea, there's a couple rumors about you and your mentor, Glenn Jacobs, floating around. They're saying that something is brewing between the two of you."

"Paul and Michael talk a little too much for their own good."

"Is there sparks flying between the two of you behind the scenes of Smackdown?" Mary asked.

Thea was silent for a moment, looking past the cameras at Glenn. He was looking away from her, talking quietly to someone. She sighed.

"There's nothing going on between the two of us," she told Mary Hart. "We're just coworkers - mentor and rookie. I'm not saying that there isn't something nice about him under that gruff exterior, but he just hasn't shown interest in me and I haven't exactly warmed up to him since coming to the WWE world."

"Do you wish that something was there?"

Thea hesitated. She could tell that Glenn was listening even though he didn't look like it. "I wish that we had a better relationship...but a romantic one? I'm not sure I'm ready for another one of those so soon after my last one."  
"What happened to your last one?"

"I was dating someone and they were abusive. We were together since I was sixteen up to the point of my match gone wrong." Thea's eyes darkened. "He was the one who nearly ended my career simply because I wanted to branch out my career into acting without him."

"Who, if you don't mind me asking, were you dating before you came to Smackdown?" Mary inquired.

Thea shook her head and looked down at her clasped hands. "I'd rather not say. It was a couple of years ago and I don't want to go stirring up old problems. He might have changed since the last time I saw him...Who knows?"

She saw that Glenn's eyes had narrowed and he was staring at her. She tried to answer the rest of Mary Hart's questions with complete honesty but anything that dealt with her past relationships with men and the match that nearly ended her career was quickly shoved under the rug like it didn't matter.

_I'm going to be bombarded with questions as soon as people get the chance to bother me_, she thought bitterly, putting on a fake smile as she continued on with the interview. _Perfect._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea yawned as she picked at her food in the hotel's dining room. Glenn sat across from her, eating his food without a word. She could tell that he had questions forming inside of him that were just itching to get out from the way that he kept looking at her. She sighed and set her fork down.

"Okay," she said abruptly. "You've been dying for awhile now, so let's get the questions out of the way before they make your head explode."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Glenn muttered.

Thea propped her chin up on her hand. "Don't you want to know about my life before wrestling took over?" She saw the answer in his eyes and sighed again. "Where do I begin?"  
"At the beginning."

"Obviously...I grew up in Japan to a Japanese woman and an American soldier who was stationed in Tokyo. Dad brought me to the United States when Mom died in a car accident when I was ten. My older brother, Lee, came over with me since Mom died and he's now a lawyer. Dad's still serving in the army overseas and has been since I graduated from school three years ago."

"You graduated when you were fifteen?"

"Hey, I skipped a few grades because in Japan, we're on an accelerated learning career." She frowned. "I haven't been to college and I've been looking into taking online college courses in my free time so that I have something to fall back on if I have to quit my wrestling career prematurely."

"You mentioned an acting career during your interview with Mary Hart," Glenn pointed out, stuffing a piece of chicken in his mouth.

"I've always wanted to act. I was in theater when I was in school and I have my own YouTube channel where I post random short movies that I do. Stephen and Drew are in a couple of them...Anyway, I like acting. I'd love to be in a movie where I'm the villain like I told Mary and it doesn't have to be a big name movie. Low budget movies would work just fine."

"There are plenty of opportunities for wrestlers to be in movies," Glenn muttered, thinking of the movie that he was in recently. "If you stick around long enough and become a fan favorite, you could be asked to be in a movie."  
"Yeah, but they'll want me to dye my hair again." Thea touched her purple and black streaked hair. "I don't know if I can do that. I've grown attached to the purple in my hair."

"What is your natural hair color anyway?"

Thea smiled. "I'm a dark haired mutt and proud of it." She picked up her fork and put some rice in her mouth. "Any other questions you want answered while we're having this discussion?"

"Who was your last boyfriend?" Glenn asked in his rumbling voice.

"Why exactly do you want to know that?" Thea demanded. "Can't you just accept that we've all made mistakes in our past that we're not proud of? Maybe he's sorry for what he's done...Hell, I know he's sorry because he begged for my forgiveness. I've never given him it, but I plan to once I completely move on from the match...Why do you have to keep bringing it up?"  
"Because I'm your friend and mentor," Glenn pointed out, setting his fork down.

"Friend? Since when have you considered me your friend? You don't treat me any different than you treat the others and none of them consider you their friend."

Glenn sighed and tried to remember self-control. Thea could see that he was struggling with that and bit her tongue. She didn't want to be the one to cause Glenn to lose complete control over his emotions. She had been on the receiving end of his less powerful punches and that was enough to hurt her, she didn't want to experience his real punches.

"I'd like to say that we are friends," Glenn admitted finally in a tense voice. "We've been in close contact for weeks now and we spend more time with each other than we spend with anyone else. And we're starting to learn about each others' pasts...Isn't that what friends do?"  
"Yeah, but...You don't have to bring up that match all the time," Thea told him bluntly. "I already told you that I didn't want to talk about it anymore. I don't want to be reminded about what happened last year. And he doesn't need to be dragged into my life again because that's all you're going to do if you make me tell you his name. I don't know you well, but I know you well enough to tell that you will hunt him down and you will do everything you can to make him pay. You'll do everything you can without running the risk of getting suspended and then you'll try to force a storyline that will allow you to get more damage in on him." She sighed and set her fork back down. "Glenn, I don't want to see either of you get hurt. I'd like to see him pay for what he did, but at my own hands."

"Your friends will tell me who it is," Glenn pointed out.

"They don't know who he is," Thea declared. "They knew I was dating someone but they didn't know who it was because hardly saw him. They just knew that he was abusive and that he didn't support my dreams of acting. I didn't tell them who he was because I didn't want them to get their hands dirty. Then the match happened and I dumped him when I got my hands on a phone. It wasn't the best way to end relationship but it got him to leave me alone. Then he got moved to one of the branches of WWE and I didn't hear from him until I got signed up for Smackdown...So Drew and Stephen can't and won't help you in your quest to avenge me."

"Someone needs to be told who he is," Glenn pointed out. "He could have killed you and he nearly did! Why won't you let anyone help you?"  
"Because I don't want to ruin his life when I'm repairing mine," Thea whispered, looking away from him. "I know what he could have done to me, but he's made me a stronger person...Do I hate him? Yes. Do I still have nightmares where he hurts me worse than he ever did? Sure I do. But do I want him to lose everything because of something that was partially my fault? No."

"Thea -"

"Please Glenn. Don't ask me who he was again. The past is behind me and I want to keep it that way when there is a promise of a bright future in front of me...I'll never tell you who he is and no one in my family will tell you either and they're the only ones who know."

Glenn wasn't aware of it until she was looking at their hands, but his hand was resting on top of hers. Thea watched him pull it back like he had been burned. She sighed and picked at her food again.

"You might find out one day Glenn," she mumbled. "You might find out a lot of things that you may or may not want to know. It all depends on how long Mr. McMahon keeps the two of us around...Things can change between us and one day, we could even become best friends. Who knows?"

She glanced across the dining room when she heard loud whispering. Paul and Michael were talking at the front of the dining room, glancing in their direction frequently.

_It was bound to happen_, Thea thought, shoving some chicken in her mouth.

Her cell phone buzzed, playing the song that she had played on the piano at that other hotel. She picked it off the table and glanced at the message.

"Shane wants to meet with us Friday morning," she announced to Glenn. "It seems like Vince gave him some ideas for a storyline or two that he wants to make us aware of."

"Oh goody."

Thea nodded and put her cell phone in her pocket, withdrawing a few bills which she put on the table. "I'm going up to my room now. Stephen said he's going to call me once he and John find a PS2 so we can play Smackdown VS Raw 2009 which allows girls to go against guys in matches. I'd say you could come along, but you'd have to clear that with Stephen and John."

"I don't play video games," Glenn told her bluntly.

"You don't do a lot of things," Thea muttered under her breath. "See ya at practice tomorrow."

She walked away, feeling Glenn's eyes on her back. Did she want something to happen between the two of them? She had no idea.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So any complaints about how the story is going so far? Any names you can give to Thea besides the Viper and the Japanese phenom? **

**And can you start sending me suggestions of who was the man who beat Thea up when she was dating him? It can be anyone but Taker, Kane, Drew, Randy Orton, and Stephen. I'll look over who you give me and I'll do some research on them if I don't know them well enough. I nee****d some names and I'm willing to accept help from you all since you're obviously more knowledgeable in wrestling than I am.**

**Any help and reviews are welcome. ~ Scarlet**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I finally think I know who the ex of Thea is, so I want to thank you all for giving me names. And I also want to thank you for the suggestions for Thea's ring name. And most importantly, thanks for all the reviews guys! **

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea danced down the hall backstage, singing a song to herself. She had been having a good week since dinner with Glenn. Training was still tough but she felt like it was getting easier. She hadn't seen her ex since coming to the show and hadn't run into him behind the scenes. She was making friends and everything seemed to be going right for her.

Then she tripped on a coiled up extension cord, making an awkward squawk come out of her mouth.

"Whoa there tiger," someone said, catching her. "You need to watch who you fall for."

Thea pulled her ear buds out and looked at Shawn Michaels in his famous double pants – one being crotchless had always confused her – and Triple H in his DX shirt. She noticed the camera on her. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh little Viper, don't act so coy," Triple H said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "We know exactly what's going on."

"You do?"

"Yes. We know that dear old Kane has put you under a spell..." HBK commented with a small shake of the head. "An evil little spell to make the beauty fall in love with the beast."  
Thea cocked an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't." Triple H snapped his fingers and HBK produced some big cards. "You are the beauty in this story. Young, attractive...so very naive."

HBK gestured at a photo of her with a crown on her head with a smile.

"And then we have Kane..." HBK flipped the card to reveal a picture of Kane sprouting devil's horns surrounded by fire. "The beast. So evil, mean...cunning."

"Okay..." Thea was starting to grow more confused.

"Now Thea, Kane is the brother of the Undertaker, so he has been brought up in the ways of evil, looking for souls to claim. Yours is the newest to come to Smackdown and we are concerned for your safety."

"Guys, I'm fine," Thea told them. "I'm not under any spell."

HBK looked at Triple H and nodded. "First sign of enchantment: denial."

"Kane has never met a woman he couldn't put under a spell and right now, he's obsessed with you. Why do you think he took you as his rookie?" Triple H asked.

"Because he had no choice."  
"No. He wanted to use you for his own gain." Triple H sighed. "We may be too late to save you from his wicked spell, but there is still hope for you to break free."

"You guys have been hitting the protein shakes a little too hard, haven't you?" Thea slipped out from under Triple H's arm. "Spells? Enchantments? Seriously?"

"Yeah, we're serious." HBK glanced at Triple H. "We're just looking out for you before you turn into this." He showed her a card with a picture of herself as a she-devil. "Because that's what Kane will do to you if you continue to be under his spell."

Thea looked past the two men and took a step back. The boys turned around to find Kane glaring down at them.

"What are you doing talking to my rookie?" he demanded. "Don't you have a match or something to do?"

HBK made a sign of magic fingers to Thea before walking away. Triple H glanced at the taller man.

"I'm onto you Kane," he told him before he too walked away.

Thea glanced at Kane, cocking an eyebrow. "Did you hear all of that?"

Kane glared at her. "I heard everything."

"Oh..." Thea frowned and looked away before he could burn two eye shaped holes through her. "Did you put a spell on me?"

Kane smirked and walked away, leaving Thea confused in front of the camera. She shrugged and put her ear buds back in, resuming her singing and dancing.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The incident in the hall hadn't been planned with Glenn's knowledge and obviously Thea had been just as surprised. He glanced to his right and found her walking next to him, singing under her breath with ear buds in her ears. He knew that if he spoke, he wouldn't be heard by her since kids these days didn't know the meaning of volume control.

"So..." she began when the song was over, pulling out her ear buds. "Do you have any idea what Shane wants with us?"

"I have my ideas," Glenn told her, thinking about what Paul and Michael had done. "And I don't like it."

"What are your ideas?" Thea asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"You won't like them."

"C'mon. No idea is a bad idea unless it involves me falling in love with Nick. Then it's not only a bad idea, it's a horrible, terrible idea." Thea tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I haven't been bothered by him in a long time...I wonder what that means."

Glenn rolled his eyes and pushed open the door to Shane's temporary office. The man behind the desk looked up with a smile.

"Glenn, Thea, good morning," Shane said brightly, shuffling through some paperwork. "I trust you have enjoyed your week and have prepared to entertain the people with your moves in tonight's match, Glenn."

Glenn nodded and crossed his arms. Thea plopped herself down in a chair and threw a leg over one of the arms.

"What do you want with us Shane?" Thea asked, getting right to the point before Glenn could.

Shane sighed. "My father would like something to happen between the two of you...He's left me two options...One, Kane loses Thea in a match to someone else and she becomes their rookie and cheerleader."

"I hate that idea," Thea muttered. "I am nobody's cheerleader."

Shane looked at Glenn since he had more say in what happened between him and Thea. Glenn shook his head.

"The other option is one that I think you both will hate more than the other idea," Shane told them.

"What is it?" Thea demanded.

"It involves a storyline where you two start falling in love with each other."

"Come again?"

"Your in-ring persona will fall in love with Kane," Shane explained with a hesitant glance at Glenn. "There will be little signs of affection exchanged by the two of you. Nothing really big...yet."

"What do you mean 'yet'?" Glenn questioned, his eyes narrowing.

"Well, my father wants there to be a big kiss somewhere in the storyline. It can be initiated by either one of you, but my bet is that the crowd would prefer it if Glenn initiates it. My father doesn't care if it's an awkward kiss, but it has to last for quite awhile."

Glenn glanced down at Thea to find her twirling a strand of hair around her finger. She was biting her bottom lip and looked like she was in deep thought while doing it.

"Well?" Shane glanced between the two of them. "Do you want to go through with option 1 or option 2?"  
"There is no way I'm losing her in a match against anyone," Glenn told Shane bluntly. "We need her for the match against Kari that decides the future of the Brothers of Destruction. If she's being mentored by someone else, the match can't happen."

"And we all know that people are very eager to have me as their rookie," Thea muttered. "You would have to have one major brawl to find out who could go against Kane in both branches. Then there would be a fight between the winner of each branch to decide who gets to face Kane...Then there's the actual match between Kane and – You'd have a lot of work cut out for you if you went with option 1."

"So you want to go with option 2?" Shane pulled out a contract. "Are you sure?"

Thea didn't say anything. Glenn reached for the pen that Shane offered and signed his name on the contract. Without a word to either Thea and Shane, he turned and walked out, knowing that he had just sold his soul another time.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stared at the contract, replaying how easy it seemed for Glenn to sign it. It was like it didn't mean a thing to him, that it was simply part of his job.

"Thea?" Shane held out the pen. "Would you like to sign?"  
Thea nodded and took the pen. Her hand hesitated over the paper for a moment before she too signed the contract.

"Thea," Shane began, pulling the contract closer to him. "You know that you can back out of this contract at anytime."

"It's a contract...there's no backing out of contracts," Thea mumbled, getting to her feet.

"I know that you're not ready for another love story," Shane continued. "After what happened last year...My father is only doing this to help you move on because not all the men in the world are like your ex."

"No...there are some genuinely good men out there," Thea agreed, rubbing her arm.

"If you get too uncomfortable or scared, feel free to come to me and I'll rip up the contract for you," Shane promised. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you and I really don't want you to get scared in the relationship you have with Glenn."  
"I'm not scared," Thea whispered. "Glenn won't do anything to me...He knows about my past relationship and I'm sure he's smart enough to know boundaries..." She backed towards the door. "I should be going now..."  
"Good luck Thea," Shane said, waving her off.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane knocked Chris Jericho into the corner of the ring and watched the man fall to the ground. Thea was walking alongside the ring, watching with rapt attention. Kane barely glanced at her though. He had to keep his head in the game because he wasn't keen on getting put in the Walls of Jericho like the blonde had been trying to put him in several times during the match.

He held up his hand, showing the crowd he was ready for a Choke Slam. Chris Jericho stumbled to his feet, still a little dazed from his beating. The blonde turned and walked right into Kane's hand. Thea clapped and cheered over the sound of the commentators' voices, calling for a painful Choke Slam.

Kane hoisted Chris into the air and brought him down with a bang. The mat shook under Kane's feet from the impact and he got down to pin Chris.

The ref counted to three and called the match. Kane had won. Thea cheered from ringside and smiled up at him.

"Way to go Kane!" she cheered.

Kane brought his hands up and then down, the pyrotechnics going off at his command. Then Thea was up by his side in an instant, pushing him out of the way of an attack by Kari. Kane watched Kari step back when she realized that she had hit Thea instead of him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Kari?" Thea demanded, pushing the girl back.

"Taker told me to -" Kari began.

"Get out of here!" Thea snapped, pushing the girl again.

Kari sent a look at Kane and slid out of the ring. "This isn't over V," she mouthed as she backed up the ramp.

Kane looked down at Thea when she turned to look at him. Her cheek was turning red where Kari had struck her. Without much thought, he touched her face gently. If Thea was surprised, she didn't show it. The crowd was quieter than normal when they saw what he was doing. The commentators were rambling on and on about how they had never seen such a gentle side to the Big Red Monster before.

"Kane?" Thea asked quietly, looking up at him.

He pressed his lips against her forehead before walking to the side of the ring and climbed out. He glanced back when he was at the ramp and saw that Thea was still standing in the ring with surprise shining in her eyes. The crowd was roaring with confusion and cheers as Kane vanished through the gorilla entrance.

He was sure that he would never hear the end of it when the two of them had practice again.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea marched backstage and water was thrown on her face. Sputtering, she brushed back her hair and looked for the source of the water. Kari was staring at her like she had some kind of disease.

"Kari! What the hell was that for?" she demanded, wiping water away from her eyes.

"Kane kissed you!" Kari exclaimed in a loud whisper. "He kissed you in front of the entire WWE universe!"

"I know," Thea muttered, dodging another wave of water that came from the water bottle in Kari's hands. "I was there."

"You've been kissed by evil! Pure evil!" Kari's eyes were nearly bugging out of her skull. "The power of Christ -!"

"Don't say it," Thea ordered, deflecting more water. "If you don't say it and you don't think about it, it didn't happen."

"Oh, okay." Kari set her water bottle down and looked calmer.

"Thea," Drew said, walking over. "Did I really see what I thought I saw?"

"Yes. You saw a group of men wearing wrestling trunks," Kari mumbled, pointing at him. "Look, you're wearing a pair too."  
"That's not what I'm talking about." Drew looked at Thea. "Did I see him kiss you?"

"Him who?" Thea asked innocently.

Drew gave her a look. "Don't play games right now. Did I see Kane kiss you?"

Thea sighed and nodded. "It's part of a storyline...Kane and Viper are supposed to start falling in love with each other...Didn't you see the movie between me and DX?"

"Ooh! I did," Kari said, holding her hand up in the air. "They said that you were put under a spell by Kane which means that the kiss sealed it." Her hand inched towards the water bottle again. "You are going to be so messed up by the end of this story line...You'll become moody and reclusive and you'll want to destroy anyone who stands in your path. Even your best friend."

"I hardly think she'll want to beat the crap out of me," Drew said, glancing down at the blonde.

"I wasn't talking about you," Kari told him bluntly. "I'm talking about me."  
Drew opened his mouth to say something, but Thea shook her head and mouthed 'don't' to him. She grabbed the water bottle and threw it into the nearest trash can.

"You guys are putting way too much energy into this," she said. "This is just a story line. I haven't been put under a spell. I will not change the way that I am just because of this messed up story line. I will always be the way that I am now."  
"You say that now, but you haven't really had to do anything serious with Kane yet," Kari pointed out. "The McMahon family is going to milk this for all it's worth. As long as they have the WWE universe hooked, you are going to end up doing the weirdest things with Kane that will frankly, disturb a lot of people."  
"I highly doubt that the universe will have that much interest in a relationship between me and Kane."

Kari shrugged. "Only time will tell." She smirked. "You could even fall in love with him for real..."

"Okay, now you're giving me the willies." Drew shuddered. "My best friend and him, together for real? What a nightmare."

Kari giggled. "Say 'willies' again."

"No."

Thea hooked her arm through Drew's. "Now Drew, you know me better than that. I'm probably not going to end up with Glenn because of how distant he is around everyone."  
"Lass, you made him laugh."

"So?"

"No one can make the Big Red Monster laugh, but somehow you did. I'd say that he's warming up to you and before you know it-"

"Drew, don't say it," Thea ordered, getting suddenly uncomfortable.

"I think he might be falling in love with you," Drew said, touching her hand. "Which we all thought was impossible after he separated from his last wife, but I guess God still performs everyday miracles in the hearts of men."  
Thea frowned at him. "I'll believe that he likes me when I see some actual proof."

"Well, did he sign into the storyline easily or did he throw a temper tantrum when he heard it?" Kari asked with a serious tone of voice.

"We were given two options..." Thea said slowly, knowing how it would sound to her friends. "The first one that would take me away from the team, he rejected. And the one with the new storyline...he signed it pretty fast."

Kari nodded and scratched her chin. "It seems to me, Ms. Andrews, that the Big Red Monster was happy to get a storyline with you where he could be up close and personal. Like DX said, he wants you as his own."

"And that's your professional opinion?" Thea asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"It is."

"We'll give it time," Drew muttered, putting a hand over Thea's. "If it starts looking like he's developing something for you and you don't feel the same way, it'll be okay to back out of the storyline." He looked at his best friend. "You aren't developing feelings for him, are you?"

Thea hesitated for a split second. "No."

"That would just be weird if you did," Kari commented. "Because he's in his forties and you're...nineteen?"

"I turned eighteen three months ago," Thea corrected.

"See? Totally and completely wrong."

"And the feelings you have for Taker aren't totally and completely wrong?" Drew retorted, jumping to Thea's defense.

Color flooded Kari's face. "I – I have no clue what you're talking about..."

"Oh don't act so innocent." Drew smirked. "Taker's been commenting on how you're always eager to impress him and do what you can to stay on his good side. And he mentioned the brownies."

"Brownies?" Thea was very confused now.

"Shut up Drew," Carrie ordered in a tight voice, her face becoming redder by the second. "We're talking about Thea here. Not me."

"Actually, we're not going to talk about me anymore," Thea said, unhooking her arm with Drew. "I have to go change into some normal clothes and Drew, don't you have a match in a few minutes?"

"I do."

"See? We're all busy and are effectively ending the conversation." Thea backed away from the two. "I'll see you later Drew."

She turned and walked off, her head swimming from the conversation. _Is there really something developing between me and him? Hm..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn heard the other Superstars talking amongst each other as they changed into regular clothes. Their chatter didn't mean a thing to him. It was about women, cars, partying, and little comments about each others matches like it always was. And he could care less about most of the topics at the moment.

"Glenn," Mark's voice said, breaking into Glenn's thoughts. "I saw what you did tonight."

Glenn grunted. All of the WWE universe saw what he had done. They probably didn't know why he had done it, but they weren't alone. Even he was confused as to why he had kissed Thea. Touching her face had been enough to let people know that something was developing between their in-ring characters, but for some reason that hadn't been enough for him at that moment.

_And I'd probably do it again, _Glenn realized, shoving his things in his gym bag. _Without a real reason..._

"You're falling for that girl," Mark continued, sounding so sure. "Even without the storyline, you'd still be falling for her..."

"You don't know that," Glenn told him bluntly.

"I know you're still hurting from the divorce and have found someone that brings a smile to your face," Mark stated, looking at Glenn with eyes that see through a man. "It's good to see you becoming the man that you once were, but I want you to stop making that girl work so hard to earn any warmth from you. She's not a machine."  
"Stop calling her 'that girl'," Glenn ordered bitterly. "She has a name. It's Thea."

Mark smirked. "I thought you just classified girls under the name 'girl' now..."

Glenn glared at his pretend brother. "Your point is?"

"Take care on how you treat her," Mark told him. "It will make or break a relationship that could be forming between the two of you...She's young and is picking up the pieces of her heart after what happened in her past. Maybe she could use someone to help her put it back together?"

"You talk too much for a man of little words," Glenn commented, trying to get the topic off of a relationship that wasn't happening. "There is _nothing _happening between me and Thea."

Mark smirked knowingly and turned his back on Glenn, walking away. "We'll see, brother."

The door opened and Mark exited before Drew came in. The Scot looked around at the other Superstars before looking back outside.

"They're decent," he said. "You can come in."

"I really don't think I should," Thea's voice came from the hall. "Can't you just get the shirt and bring it out here?"

"I'm not leaving you standing in the middle of the hall in your bra," Drew said, reaching for something that the other Superstars couldn't see. "C'mon. We're not in high school anymore. The boys can handle seeing a woman in a bra."

Thea sighed loudly and came into view when Drew pulled on her arm. Glenn's eyes narrowed when he saw that she was wearing what was left of a shirt. It had been sliced in so many places that it didn't provide much cover for her black lace bra and there was no obvious front to it anymore.

"Hi guys," she muttered, folding her arms over her stomach when the other Superstars noticed her.

There was a spattering of words from the men and a couple of wolf whistles pierced the silence. Glenn's eyes roamed over the faces, looking for the men who had whistled at his rookie. He took note that Nick was eyeing her with hunger in his eyes, something that irked the older man.

"Easy guys," Drew muttered, leading Thea over to his locker. "She's not here to entertain you..."  
"What happened to your shirt?" John asked, touching the ragged excuse of a shirt.

"I have no idea..." Thea admitted. "It wasn't like this when I put it in my bag earlier, but this is what came out as...I guess I pissed someone off..."

"Did you report it?"

"No. It's just a shirt. It can always be replaced."

Her eyes met Glenn's for a brief moment before Drew caught her attention again by holding out a black t-shirt. She turned her back on the Superstars as she peeled the tattered remains of her own shirt off. Glenn looked away from her and zipped up his bag. He wasn't going to be like the rest of the boys, watching a girl put on a shirt.

"Thanks Drew," she said once the shirt was on. "I'll give it back once we're back at the hotel."

"Keep it," Drew ordered. "It looks a lot better on you than me."

Some of the boys muttered in agreement. Thea smiled and gave Drew a one-armed hug. Glenn felt her eyes on him one more time before she was walking out the door.

"Man that girl is hot!" Nick said, breaking the silence.

"She's off limits," Drew told him bluntly, heading for the showers.

"Still..."

Glenn didn't feel like listening to people going on about how hot anyone was because he knew that's what he would be hearing if he stayed. So he gathered his gym bag and headed out the door. Thea was leaning against the wall just outside.

"Did the kiss mean anything?" she asked quietly.

"I was just doing my job," Glenn told her, walking away.

He thought he heard her mutter, "Oh...okay... it meant nothing..."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So do you like what's happened so far? The part about the shirt might have been a little out there, but I needed to throw it in to make the two have a reason to be face to face again that night. With the storyline that Shane presented to them, things are bound to get a bit interesting between the two of them, so I hope you stick around and review! **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: You guys are totally awesome! Three reviews within twenty four hours of uploading the seventh chapter...That was really awesome to see! (And it looks like one of you is stalking the story because within the first couple of hours of uploading, I had a review...) This makes a girl happy so I decided to reveal one of the secrets of this story to you within in this chapter -which could be considered a filler I guess - , but Kane won't know about it, so don't tell him... **

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea danced around the hotel room, clad only in Drew's t-shirt and a pair of boy shorts, singing into the end of her hairbrush. She realized it was getting close to one in the morning, but didn't feel exhausted since she hadn't really done much that day. And those sodas she had a little while ago weren't helping the situation.

She wandered over to the door and opened it, letting the music pour out into the hall. She didn't expect to see anyone, but Stephen and some of the other wrestlers were just walking out of the elevator down the hall.

"Steven!" she called, bounding down the hall to meet him.

He winced. "Lass, don't shout. You'll wake the neighbors and you know how they are when they're disturbed."

Thea smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist. "It's that or you are experiencing an early bout of the hangover."

"I don't get hangovers," Steven muttered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Liquor works with my body..."

"If that's right, then come dance in my room," Thea said, bumping her hip against his.

"I don't dance," Steven said, bumping her back and almost missing.

Thea gave him her best puppy dog eyes. "Please Steven? Please just for an hour?"  
"My bed's calling me." He caught sight of the puppy dog eyes. "Oh no...Not those. Put those away."

"Steven..."

"Fine. One hour." Steven gave in, finding himself unable to resist the puppy dog eyes once again.

Thea let out a cheer and kissed him on the cheek before turning around to look at the other wrestlers who were walking down the hall. "You guys want to come dance too?"  
"You're going to dance?" Maria asked, her hand in Matt's. "I thought you didn't dance."

"Well now I do. So are you coming or what?"

Maria nodded and pulled Matt into the hotel room. A few others crowded into the room and Thea followed them in with Steven. She broke away from him long enough to turn the music up.

"You do realize that you're dancing in your underwear, don't you lass?" Steven asked when she started dancing with him. "And everyone is seeing it?"

"It's not everyone," Thea commented with a small smile. "Besides, half the people are drunk and the rest don't care about me being in my underwear. Do you care?"

"I'm just afraid that you're going to get cold."

"Not if I keep dancing..."

"If you tell anyone that I was dancing, I'm going to have to give you a beat down," Steven threatened.

"Your secret is safe with me and the other ten people in the room," Thea promised with a smile. "As long as you promise to stay away from the topic of what happened tonight with Kane."

"Oh, the kiss?" Steven rolled his eyes. "It was nothing. Just a friendly peck to get your storyline going. It was nothing to get your knickers in a bunch over."

_At least you think so_, Thea thought, sliding her arms around him as the song changed to a slow dance.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn expected no one to be in the gym at four in the morning, but for some reason Thea was there, breaking the rules that he had set up for her earlier. She didn't glance at him as she ran on the treadmill which made him wonder if she had heard him at all.

_Does the girl even sleep?_ Glenn thought, grabbing a weight and lifting it.

He exercised in silence for fifteen minutes before his rookie turned off the treadmill and climbed off. She hesitated when she saw him, her blue eyes meeting his briefly. Then she turned and took up her little towel, patting it against her face to remove the thin film of sweat that had collected on her brow. Glenn watched her out of the corner of his eye.

"What are you doing up?" she asked quietly, walking over to sit on one of the benches.

"I always get up early," Glenn muttered, switching arms. "What are you doing in the gym so early?"

"I couldn't sleep and Steven's passed out in my bed," Thea said, not meeting his eyes. "He hit the liquor a little too hard tonight...so down he went..."

"So you haven't been to sleep at all?" Glenn asked, setting the weight down.

Thea shook her head. "I'm running on the fumes of a good night's sleep past." She gestured back at the treadmills. "I thought I could wear myself out by running a bit, but so far, no luck."  
Glenn shook his head in disappointment. "You shouldn't let yourself stay awake for so long...you'll wear yourself down."

Thea's eyes flashed in his direction. "And why do you care?"

"You're my rookie. If something bad happens to you because you have sleep on the mind, then it reflects back on me. And I am not getting my ass chewed out because of you."

Thea glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry if I'm such an inconvenience for you, but you were the one who signed up to have me. And you're the one who's keeping me around, so you're gonna have to blame yourself for putting up with me when you get to the finger pointing."

Glenn stared at her for a moment, words forming in his head, but they refused to come out of his mouth. And they were the wrong words to begin with. He didn't need to go spouting out how he really felt about her because she'd probably end up crying and would look at him like he was some kind of monster.

_And that's what I am_, Glenn thought, breaking eye contact with her. _A monster on and off camera..._

Thea sighed. "How are we going to make this storyline work?"

"What?"

"The storyline between Kane and Viper?" Thea asked, tossing her towel aside. "It's not like we can jump right into the hot and heavy action and I am in no way comfortable doing that, yet. We should start small."  
Glenn nodded and sat on the bench across from hers, their knees touching. "Very small."

"Right...So when you touched my face like you did, that was a good beginning to the storyline. The kiss, though unexpected, it was an okay beginning too. Maybe we should focus on those two things first..." Thea scratched her head. "A little touch here and there can do no harm, right? But there can't be any touching on my chest area or anyone's asses. Understand?"

Glenn nodded again. Why would he want touch her ass anyway? Or her chest?

Thea cocked her head to one side. "We can make this work out...until the McMahon family decides that a relationship between Kane and Viper is old news, right?"

"It's our job to make it believable until the end." He smirked. "This is just a test to see how good you are at acting."

Thea smirked back at him. "I am very good at acting. I'd prove it to you, but then you'd realize how bad you are at it."

"Try me."

Suddenly Thea's eyes were swimming with tears. "I...I can't believe that what happened between us meant nothing to you! I came here expecting to find a happy ending and then...the kiss? Did that honestly mean nothing to you?" She pointed at herself. "Do I mean nothing to you?"

Glenn stared at her in surprise. "No...I uh..."

He hadn't seen a woman go from being a little happy to having a complete break down so fast. Thea closed her eyes and turned her face away from him.

"Was that acting?" Glenn asked.

Thea sniffed and nodded. "See? I can act..." She looked at him, the tears now vanishing just as suddenly as they appeared, though one slid down her cheek. "I can be sad...I can be evil...I can be anything that anyone needs me to be...and sometimes people use me for it..."

_Her ex_, Glenn realized with a twinge of bitterness. _What kind of man was he to be so...evil?_

Thea reached out and put her hand on his arm. Glenn glanced at her hand, but she didn't remove it. Her fingers brushed over the muscles outlined in his arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

"Little touches here and there," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "Yeah, that will work."

Glenn looked at her, his eyes meeting her gaze for a long moment. He really saw into her eyes for the first time. He saw the remnants of pain, a need to prove herself, and confusion. Part of him wondered what she saw in his eyes or if she'd even try to see what was there. He tore his eyes away from hers and grabbed her hand, lifting it off his arm. It was so small compared to his and so warm.

"Glenn...can I...can I have my hand back?" Thea asked quietly.

He released it and looked away. He only looked back at her when he heard a tiny gasp escape her lips. In her blue eyes he saw the hint of fear and he turned around to see someone walking through the gym, listening to music.

It was Mike.

_Why is she afraid of Mike? _Glenn asked himself, looking back at Thea. _As far as I know, they haven't even met...unless...?_

Mike glanced over at the two of them and that cocky smile appeared on his face, flashing pearly white teeth. "Glenn, Thea, I didn't see you there," he said, walking over. "Having an early morning workout?"

"Yeah," Thea muttered before glancing at the digital clock on the wall. "I should be heading back to my room...in case Steven needs something..."

"Wait. Farrelly is in your room?" Mike asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Is something going on with you two?"

Thea shook her head. "We're just friends. I had a small party in my room when people came back from clubs and he passed out on my bed. That's why he's in my room. Okay?"

"Okay." He glanced at Glenn. "That was a nice move you made last night, man."

"What?" Glenn demanded.

"The kiss. No one I know could kiss Thea like that and get away with it," Mike commented. "And trust me, I was her pretend boyfriend when she was just starting out in the WWE universe a couple of years ago."

Glenn looked at Thea and gave her a look. She shook her head and stood up. Glenn stood up too, though he wished there was more room between the two of them. Their bodies were touching a little too much in his opinion, but she didn't look uncomfortable with it.

"Your mouthwash was too powerful," Thea muttered, not meeting Mike's eyes directly. "It was like you drank it and I just couldn't let you kiss me...I was sixteen when we first started masquerading as a couple. People would have jumped on you for being with a minor in a physical relationship."  
"It wasn't that physical. A kiss is just a kiss." He gestured at Glenn. "And why does he get to kiss you? He's almost two times older than you."

Thea looked at Glenn. "Well...it's complicated."

"It's part of a contract," Glenn told the younger man even though he'd rather beat the tar out of him.

"Well we had a contract," Mike said, wrapping an arm around Thea's shoulders. "She paraded around in all these hot outfits, but then came that accident and she put on longer clothes..." He shook his head. "I miss the good old times..."

Glenn noticed how Thea seemed to shrink away from Mike's touch. "Was there anything happening between the two of you behind the scenes?"

Thea shot him a warning look, knowing exactly what he was doing. Glenn didn't care. He was going to get to the bottom of her past and he would find out who was the man who had attacked his rookie. Even if it meant getting suspended.

Mike glanced at Thea and shook his head. "There was nothing between us...she was underage and I was not about to get arrested for loving a minor. On screen was as far as we went. Though right now..."

"Don't," Thea ordered. "I'm not interested in dating you..."

Glenn thought he heard the hint of 'again' on her lips, but she was already out of Mike's arms. He watched her scoop her towel off the floor and waited to see what she would do.

"I'll see you in a few hours Glenn for practice," she told him, placing her hand on his arm briefly. "Mike, can I have a word with you in the hall?"  
Mike nodded and followed her out of the gym, leaving Glenn alone in the gym. The warning bells were going off in Glenn's head as he watched them leave, telling him that he should go after them because something was very wrong there. He shook his head and started doing bench presses. He couldn't be there for her all the time...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea led Mike into the dining hall, making sure that they were far away from Glenn. She didn't want him to hear what was said.

"This doesn't look like the hall," Mike pointed out.

"Mike, why did you have to pick the same hotel as me?" Thea demanded, looking at him.

"I didn't know you were here," Mike said, crossing his arms. "And don't think I'm lying. I honestly didn't know. It's not like we exchange much info on each other anymore."

Thea ran a hand through her hair. "Now Glenn's going to start thinking things...if he's not already. And he can't know or..."

"No one's going to find out," Mike promised her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Thea instinctively recoiled from his touch. He frowned and let his hand drop down to his side.

"After all this time, you still haven't moved on," he commented quietly.

"It's not easy to when I still have the memories of your drunken rages and that attack," Thea told him, rubbing her arm nervously. "Mike...I don't know if I can keep protecting you...not if you keep showing up in my life unexpectedly like this...Someone is going to find out...and you're going to end up getting hurt."  
"Your friends still don't know?"

Thea shook her head and glanced around when she heard something move, but it was just a hotel employee. "I haven't told them. And I'm not going to tell them, but if Glenn suspects something...he could tell one of them and then they'll be on your ass in an instant...If Glenn doesn't beat them to the punch..."

"I got some weird vibes off him," Mike commented. "Is there something-?"

"I honestly don't know anymore. I just know that you need to stay away for awhile. Okay? There's no point in changing hotels now, but when we get to the next city, can you give me a heads up before choosing your hotel?"

"Sure. Your cell's still the same, right?"

Thea nodded. She plucked up her cell phone out of the waistband of her sweatpants when it vibrated and looked at the caller ID. "It's Steven..."

"You better go."

Thea turned to leave, but Mike caught her hand, stopping her.

"Are you ever going to forgive me, Thea?" he asked when her eyes met his.

"Some day Mike. Some day."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: There ya go. Now you know who her ex is. Evil little Mike with his creepy smile and his 'I am awesome' attitude...Creep.**

**Anyway, I'm working as hard as I can to pump out as many chapters as possible this summer before my senior year starts. So, here's hoping that you stick around until the end and continue to like the story! ~Scarlet**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! They made me happy after what happened on Smackdown with Kane...poor, poor Kane... Anyway, I think you're going to like this chapter because something happens that well...I'll let you find out for yourself.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane watched Thea do a back bend to dodge an attack by CM Punk. He knew from an earlier conversation with her that she really didn't want to meet the Go to Sleep. Now that the WWE universe knew the real character of CM Punk they were cheering like mad for her. When he glanced out at the crowd after watching Thea doing a flip that caught CM Punk on the chin, he noticed some Kane loves Thea signs and some 'Kiss Me 2 Kane' signs in the hands of fans.

He shook his head and tuned back into the match in time to see his rookie in the grip of CM Punk. Kane slammed his hands against the mat when he realized that the man was going to perform Go To Sleep on her. She was putting up a fight by squirming, but CM Punk was taking advantage of how tired she was – having heard about how she hadn't been sleeping well all week – and did the GTS. Thea hit the mat with a bang and didn't move.

CM Punk smirked at Kane who cursed and slapped the mat again. The Straight Edge Savior got down and whispered something into Thea's ear. She made to slap him, but he caught her hand and decided to go for the pin. The ref's hand almost came down to end the match, but Thea somehow managed to get a shoulder up. While CM Punk was yelling at the ref, Thea was struggling to get to her feet.

She got to her feet and looked Kane dead in the eye. He knew what she wanted to do and he knew that she only wanted to do it because she was hurting really bad. With a glance at CM Punk, who was coming back after her, he gave the slightest hint of a nod.

"I think Viper's planning something really big Todd," Matt Striker commented, talking to his fellow commentator. "Did you see the way that she looked at Kane?"

"Well she's got to pull off something big if she wants to turn this match around in her favor," Todd said.

Kane smirked. What was about to happen would turn the match in his rookie's favor if she could just get a hold on CM Punk.

"Come on Viper," CM Punk taunted. "Is this all you've got? Want me to put you out of your misery?"

She stood there and motioned him forward. "Bring it."

CM Punk ran at her and Thea's body was a blur of movement. Serena and Luke were screaming when they saw the contorted form of their Savior. Kane saw the pain in the man's reddening face as Thea put pressure on so many areas of his body.

"I don't believe it! The Viper has unleashed the Cobra 9!" Todd exclaimed. "A never before seen submission hold has been unleashed right now!"

"I can't imagine the pain that CM Punk must be feeling," Matt muttered, his eyes locked in on the scene before him. "If Punk has any sense, he'll tap out as fast as he can."

Thea adjusted her grip on Punk and the man cried out in pain. "Tap out man," she hissed, her blue eyes flashing. "Tap out or it's going to get so much worse."

Kane didn't think that Punk would do it, but the man reached out his one free hand and hit the mat repeatedly. The bell rang and Thea released the man quickly, letting him crawl away to his SES family. Thea pushed herself rather shakily to her feet, rubbing her head where she had hit it several times during the thirty minute match and held her fist up in the air as the crowd cheered.

Kane climbed into the ring and grabbed her arm to support her. Thea glanced at him and smiled a happy, slightly dazed smile up at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern on the edge of his voice.

She nodded and did something that no one was expecting. Thea reached around and gave him a hug. Kane looked down at her in surprise as she backed away with a 'come and catch me' grin. With less grace than normal, she flipped out of the ring and backed up the ramp. Kane stared up at her and she blew a kiss out at the crowd and winked in his direction before disappearing backstage.

Kane glanced at the commentators as they started discussing what had just happened between him and his rookie. It hadn't been much of anything. It was just a hug, but the two were acting like it had been a make out session.

With a last look back at Todd Grisham and Matt Striker, Kane climbed out of the ring and headed up the ramp.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea ran a hand through her damp hair as she exited the locker room and smiled at some of the girls who were heading in. Her head was hurting from being slammed into the mat so many times, but at least it wasn't pounding anymore.

_Phil can do some serious damage when he wants to_, Thea thought with a small sigh. _I guess I shouldn't underestimate him again...Or anyone else for that matter or next time, I'll lose._

"Excuse me," someone said and Thea stopped, rolling her eyes as she recognized the voice of Vickie Guerrero and noticed the camera. "Thea, can I have a word with you?"

"Yeah Vickie," Thea turned to look at the woman. "What is it?"

"Well, I just want to tell you that I think you're doing an excellent job fighting the boys," Vickie said with a smile. "You're really showing them how tough we girls are."

"If you say so," Thea muttered, crossing her arms.

"But I have one little problem," Vickie announced. "You're a beautiful, young lady and I feel like your squandering that by being with Kane."

"Kane and I aren't -"

"I know someone who would be perfect for you," Vickie continued, pretending not to hear Thea. "He's the talented, good looking Dolph Ziggler."

Thea turned her head when she felt someone's arm around her shoulders. Dolph was giving her his best cocky smile.

"Hey," he said.

Vickie clapped approvingly. "You two make such a lovely couple."

Thea glanced at the hand that was resting casually on her arm. "Dolph, remove your arm from my person or I'll snap it off."

"Thea, the people want to see you with someone good looking, not some ogre," Dolph said. "We look great together. Forget Kane."

Thea sighed. "I warned you."

She grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. Vickie looked horrified as Thea kicked Dolph repeatedly. The purple haired phenom looked at Vickie with a glare so similar to Kane's that the woman paled and hurried away. Then Thea's eyes turned back to Dolph as she crouched down at his side, grabbing him by his hair.

"Don't touch me ever again!" she hissed,slamming his head into the ground. "Okay?"

Dolph groaned and lay still on the floor. Thea straightened and saw Kane watching from down the hall. With a last look in his direction, she turned and walked out of the camera's view, away from all the men.

_You've got to love what gets put on the titantron_, Thea mused with a smirk as she became herself again now that the camera was no longer on. _Though they're putting way too many promos on me lately...I'm not that important..._

"Hey Maria," she said, spotting the woman.

"Hey girl," Maria purred, slipping an arm through Thea's. "So...I was thinking that we could go hit some clubs to celebrate your recent victory against Phil."

"I don't see why you guys take me to clubs when I'm so much younger than all of you," Thea muttered, brushing her hair back with her free hand. "I only get sodas and I don't get to participate in drinking games."

"Well, we'll just have to change that, won't we?" Maria laughed. "I think the girls and I can get you to have some shots with us...We could even make a game out of it."

"But-"

"Think of it as a learning experience that you could use in the future. It's not like it's going to be an everyday thing. Just one night of no rules and extreme fun."

"And we're not going to get in trouble?" Thea had an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

"No. No one's going to tell on you, okay? And you're not going to tell anyone, right?"  
"I guess not."

"Then get ready to have a good time," Maria said, opening one of the exit doors.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn had a really bad feeling in his gut when he pulled up to the club. A snitch had called and told him that something was up at the club that he should know about. They had mentioned some Divas in a drinking game and Glenn had a bad feeling that one of them was his rookie. At first he didn't want to believe it, but he had checked her room before leaving the hotel only to find that she wasn't there. Stephen and Drew didn't know where she was either and they were too intoxicated to be much help in the search.

When Glenn entered the club, his ears were assaulted by the loud music that pounded through the darkened place. Bodies moved on the dance floor and being taller than most Glenn could see over most of the heads. He located the group of Divas that the snitch had told him about. And right in the middle of them was his rookie, dancing like she didn't have a care in the world.

Now Glenn would have been fine with her dancing if two things weren't happening. One was the shot glass in her hand and the other was fact that her spaghetti strap shirt was slipping low on her body. Men were crowded around the Divas but the girls didn't seem to care as they danced and drank the night away.

Glenn's eyes narrowed as he forced his way over and the most sober girls looked at him in surprise. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"We're having fun Glenn," Eve said, pouring some more liquor into a few shot glasses. "You should try it some time."

Glenn pointed at Thea, who was oblivious to his presence. "She's not supposed to be drinking."

"It wasn't my idea to get her drunk," Tiffany muttered before hiccuping. "Maria wanted to celebrate and told Thea it was okay to have a couple of drinks...but she's had ten shots..." She hiccuped again. "I think I need to have another drink...yeah..."

"You all need to go back to your hotel rooms," Glenn stated, taking away the liquor bottle. "It's past your curfew."

"Look who wants to play Daddy," Eve commented with catlike smile as she took the bottle back. "We're not going anywhere Glenn... and you can't make us because you're not our boss."  
"But I am Thea's and I'm taking her back to her hotel before something really bad happens to her," Glenn told them, glancing back at the spot where Thea was dancing, but she wasn't there anymore. "Maria, where did she go?"  
Maria looked at him with a drunken smile. "She went outside to get some air...Ooh look, her dance partner's gone too." She giggled and buried her face in Matt's chest. "I love you."

Glenn threw the Divas one last disapproving glare before forcing his way back out of the club. Thea had a beer bottle in her hand as she danced around for the entertainment of some random guy. The guy was laughing and trying to pull her close, but Thea kept evading his grasp, wiggling her hips at him. She smiled drunkenly when she noticed him.

"Hey Glenn," she said, waving. "Come to party?"

"Thea, put yourself together," Glenn ordered, looking away from her.

"What? Oh!" Thea laughed as she looked down at herself. She pulled up the straps of her shirt and covered herself completely again. "That was close!" She looked at the guy who she had come outside with. "Why didn't you tell me that I was falling out?"

The guy shrugged. Glenn knew why he wasn't going to tell her. The bum wanted a free peep show from her and had almost got one. She wasn't his to look at and that pissed Glenn off knowing what could have happened had he not shown up when he had.

Thea laughed again and put the mouth of the beer bottle to her lips. Glenn grabbed the bottle before she could swallow any of the contents and threw it aside, letting it shatter on the blacktop. Thea stared at the mess for a moment before looking back at him.

"What was that for?" she demanded.

"Your eighteen," Glenn told her. "You shouldn't be drinking."

"Why do you care what I do?" Thea asked, stumbling as she moved closer to him. "You don't even like me..."

Glenn stared down at her. "Is that really what you think?"

She hiccuped and nodded. "You don't say nice things to me...You don't tell me I'm good enough..." She looked up at him. "You don't even tell me that I'm pretty...Am I pretty?"

_Yes, _the answer was on his lips, but Glenn hesitated. "I..."  
"I know why you don't like me..." Thea continued, poking him in the chest. "It's because I'm not good enough for you...I try and I try, but it's never...never good enough...If I told you that I loved you...it wouldn't make a difference because you don't like me..."

"I love you," the guy from the club said, raising his hand.

Thea glared over her shoulder at him. "You don't love me...you love these..." She put her hands over her breasts. "Well you aren't gonna get them...so move along...go on...shoo."

The guy didn't look like he was going to go anywhere anytime soon, so Glenn did what he did best: play the big, bad, scary guy. He cracked his knuckles and the boy ran away like a bat out of Hell. Thea giggled and wiggled her fingers after him before Glenn grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards his car.

"Where are we going?" she asked, dragging her heels. "Ooh...are we going to the bat cave?"

Glenn rolled his eyes and held open the door for her. "Just don't puke."

Thea had messed with the radio on the ride back to their hotel, singing loudly to the music that she played before she got bored half way through a song and changed it to something else. Glenn couldn't help but smile at how she was acting even though he knew it was wrong. She was funny and oddly cute when she was drunk.

She snagged his hand in the elevator and demanded that he twirl her around. Glenn only did it to keep her from yelling and throwing a fit. She laughed and did a little dance that was a struggle for him not to participate in. He was glad when the elevator came to a stop on her level and pulled her out when the doors opened.

"Where is your key card?" he asked, looking down at her once they were outside her room.

Thea smiled and reached down her shirt, pulling the key card out of her cleavage. Glenn took it and swiped it through the slot. He pushed open the door and gestured for her to go in. She stood there with a smile on her face, hooking her hands together behind her back. Glenn rolled his eyes and grabbed her around the waist, hoisting her over his shoulder.

He marched into the room and dumped her on her bed. She laughed and sat up, looking at him with unfocused eyes.

"Glenn," she purred, rubbing her leg against his as she threw them over the side of her bed. "I have to tell you something..."

"You can tell me it when you're sober," Glenn told her.

"No...I have to tell you it now," Thea insisted, getting to her feet rather wobbly. "Right now..."

Glenn sighed, anticipating something stupid to come out of her mouth. "What is it?"

Thea tripped when she moved closer to him and fell into his arms. She looked up at him and motioned for him to come closer. "It's a secret..."

Glenn lowered his face closer to hers, still thinking that she was going to tell him something really stupid. Thea jumped up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his.

"I love you," she whispered before giggling. "Don't tell anyone...'cause it's a secret..."

Glenn watched her walk over to her bed and fall down on it. She smiled up at him and patted the empty place next to her like she wanted him to be next to her.

_She's drunk_, Glenn told the part of him that wanted to be down there with her. _She doesn't know what she's doing..._

"Glenn," she called softly.

"Goodnight Thea," he said, walking out of the room and shutting the door on her disappointed face and the voice that screamed at him to kiss her back.

He stood outside her door for a long moment, seeing Mark down at the end of the hallway. The Dead Man looked down at his pretend brother and there was a smirk on his face before he vanished into the elevator. Glenn listened to the elevator descend before walking down the hall to his own room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So there you go, Thea told him how she feels even if it was in a drunken state. There is no way that I support underage drinking, but I know it's out there, so I'm not going to run from it. I hope you stick around for the next chapter of Sorry when it comes, so until then...Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: So...here we are with another chapter. I'm glad you liked the last chapter with a drunk Thea because things are going to start getting more...entertaining from now on, at least I think so. I hope you like this one as much as the last.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea groaned softly when someone dropped something in the dining hall. Her head was killing her. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep for hours, but she knew that wasn't an option when she had training in a few hours. So she had to suck up the pain and move on with a grimace on her face.

_Why did I have to drink so much last night? _Thea asked herself. _I thought I'd get cut off at two shots, but...Why did I listen to Maria?_

She sighed and picked up her coffee mug, bringing it to her lips. The black liquid scorched its way down her throat and warmed her from within. She shook her head and set the mug back down.

_And Glenn was there...Glenn saw me acting like a...stupid drunk...What's he going to think of me now? _

_That I'm a lush? That I'm easy?...I'll never be able to face him with last night hanging over my head...His opinion of me has probably grown from bad to worse._

_And to make matters worse, I was hitting on him...I told him that I-_

"There's our girl," Stephen said, sitting down next to her while Drew sat across from her. "Did you have a nice evening lass?"

Thea winced. "My head hurts."  
"Well, that's what you get for drinking," Drew told her with a smirk. He put two pills on the table. "Take these."

Thea picked the pills up. "These aren't going to make me vomit again, are they? I've already done enough of that to last for the rest of my life."

"They're pain killers. To help with your nasty headache."

"Oh." She popped them in her mouth and took a sip of her coffee. "Why don't you two get hangovers?"

"Because we know when to put the bottle down lass," Stephen commented, picking at his eggs and bacon. "That's something that comes from experience."  
"Yeah, well, I don't want to experience alcohol again. It makes people do really stupid things." Thea rested her forehead on her hand, looking down at her half eaten pancakes. "I did some really, _really _stupid things."

"Like what?"  
"Well for one, I danced like I was a slut and almost fell out of my shirt," Thea told her two best friends. "For some random jerk at the club..." She scratched her chin. "He probably had a camera phone or something, but I don't exactly remember if he did..."

"Alcohol does a lot of loosening in a person," Stephen said. "And I'm sure the other lasses were just as risque in their dance too."  
"Oh God, Matt was there! Please let him have been drunk because if he was sober and let that happen to me...I'll kill him. I really will." She glared at the chuckles coming from Drew's and Stephen's mouths. "What's so funny?"

"You are." Drew smirked. "Matt was so intoxicated, he was worshiping the porcelain goddess all night. And that was only after he was stumbling around the halls, pounding on peoples' doors looking for his room."

"Next time, I'm just going to go to a club with you two and drink Coke," Thea muttered, shaking her head. "Too many stupid things happened."

"Well you can't have done anything worse than dance like a hooker," Stephen assured her, patting her hand.

"Actually I did."

"Oh really? What did you do? Get married without inviting us to the wedding?" Drew's smirk widened. "Who is the lucky groom?"

"It was nothing like that, but it be much easier for me if it was." Thea stared down at her food. "I...I may have hit on Glenn."  
"Wait! Glenn was there?" Drew looked at Stephen. "I thought he couldn't find you."  
"Well, he did. And I hit on him."

"You must have been drunk off your rocker," Stephen stated.

Thea frowned. "I...I told him that I loved him."

"When you're drunk, you love everybody," Drew said, shaking his head. "But even the drunkest person should have better judgment than to profess love to Glenn. He can't return it..."

"Okay. You guys are just biased because he's built up a wall around himself," Thea told them, her temper flaring briefly. "Have you thought that maybe he's mean because he doesn't want to be hurt again? His ex-wife was important to him and then she broke his heart by finding someone else to love when Glenn was on the road. He couldn't be with her all the time and so she found someone else who could...That's bound to hurt someone and so he's built up a wall around himself to make sure no one else hurts him."

Drew shared a look with Stephen. "You've done a lot of thinking about this, haven't you?"

"I'm good at seeing people for who they are inside. That's how I knew you two were great guys and would never hurt me on purpose."

"But Glenn-?" Stephen shook his head. "Thea, if you keep talking about him like that, people are going to think that you're in love with him. For real."

"So? People are allowed to have their own opinions. It's a free country."  
"Lass, I want you to be completely honest with me," Stephen told her, turning in his seat to face her. "Are you falling in love with Glenn Jacobs?"

Thea opened her mouth, but before she could get a word out, Maria was there with a guilty look on her face. In her hands was a newspaper.

"Thea, I am so sorry that I let you get drunk with us," Maria apologized quickly. "If I knew what would happen, I wouldn't have let you have so many shots. I am really, really sorry."

Thea winced at the loudness of Maria's voice. "It's okay...We all are allowed moments of stupidity."  
"And I'm sorry that I couldn't stop this from happening," Maria apologized again.

"What couldn't you stop from happening?"

Maria showed her the front page of the newspaper. On it, there was the small group of Divas who had been partying with Thea. Right in the middle was Thea, looking a like a cheap whore as she danced with some guy she didn't remember dancing with. The headline was 'WWE Divas Drinking Games Go Too Far' and Thea paled as she tore the newspaper from Maria's hand, scanning the article for the comments.

"Oh God!" She tossed the newspaper down. "I'm as bad as Chris...Maybe even worse..."

Maria winced. "Sorry Thea..."

Thea pushed her pancakes aside, no longer having the stomach to eat. She sighed and resting her head on the table, closing her eyes against the world. _How could I let my image go from positive to this so quickly? I'm surprised the McMahon's aren't on my case yet..._

"Thea, I'm going to have a press conference," Maria told her. "I'm going to try to sort this out before things get too out of hand. I'll tell them the truth about the other Divas and I pressuring you into doing shots with us...The world will understand that we all make mistakes and that we will make up for them...somehow."

"Would it be all right with you all if I just curl up under the table and die?" Thea asked, her voice barely audible against the white tablecloth.

"No." Stephen wrapped an arm around her. "Lass, you made a mistake. Like you said, everyone is allowed to make mistakes and that's because we're only human. You just need to learn to look at your mistake and move on from it. People _will _understand. They were teenagers at one point too. They know what pressure is like...It's nothing to die for."

Thea groaned. "I need a shower. A really, really cold shower. But I guess something good has  
happened..."

"What's that?" Drew asked.

"My headache is gone."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn had knocked on Thea's hotel room door, but she hadn't answered. He knew better than to believe that she was still asleep. So he went to the only other place where she frequented: the gym. She was punching a bag without any hand protection. Even from where he stood, he could see the angry red that her knuckles were turning.

"Thea, knock it off," Glenn ordered, watching her.

She stopped hitting the bag, sagging against it with one arm around it. Not a word came out of her mouth. She didn't move. It was like she was waiting for something.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded. "You know better than to hit the bag without some kind of barrier between it and your hands."

"Well maybe I forgot..." Thea whispered. "Maybe I wanted a little pain to sober me up."

"That's not what you need."  
Thea threw him a glare but didn't meet his eyes. "You have no clue what I need..."

"You don't need anymore alcohol," Glenn told her and he saw the hurt cloud over her eyes. "You've seen what it does. You've experienced it first hand. Now you know why it's not an encouraged pastime. _That _will sober you up."

"Go ahead...scream at me," Thea muttered, walking away from her punching bag.

"Why would I scream at you?"  
"I don't know...Maybe because I've let you down. Because I publicly embarrassed WWE by getting drunk. For making you hunt me down and come to my rescue...There are a number of reasons why you should scream at me."

Glenn shook his head and walked over. "I'm not going to scream at you for acting like a teenager. Yes, you let me down by drinking one too many drinks. Yes, you publicly embarrassed WWE, but so did the other Divas. And if you think making me hunt you down was so bad for me...you obviously don't know that I do nothing after a show is over. Coming to your rescue...any friend would do that for you if they were sober."

Thea frowned at him. "So you're not going to scream at me?"

"No."

A sigh escaped her mouth. "That just makes it worse...Things are so much easier when someone screams at me..."

"You wouldn't listen or learn if I started screaming at you."

"But after everything I've done... After I threw myself at you..." Her eyes darted away from his quickly. "After the fool I made of myself by acting so ridiculous around you...the dancing, the really bad flirting...and the...what I told you...How can you act like it was nothing?"

Glenn watched her sit against the wall. She had no clue that he had spent the night, staring up at the ceiling. Her words had played over and over again in his head. Something about how she had said them and the look in her eyes, had hinted that maybe there was something true to the words. That maybe she did love him when no one else would. That maybe she didn't care if he was a monster...

"I..."

"Glenn, I have no clue what's going on anymore," Thea admitted quietly, resting her head back against the wall. "My body's sending me mixed signals and I'm thinking strange things...I can't concentrate like I used to...Everything's changed...

"I came into this sport with a clear head, knowing exactly what I wanted. I wanted to get a championship title and have people look up to me...I wanted to make friends and watch them succeed and move on from their failures...But now...I don't know what I want. Maybe I just want some answers about what's going on with me..."

Glenn sat down next to her. "You might be falling in love...Haven't you been in love before?"

"With my ex?" Thea shrugged. "I thought I was in love with him, but it didn't feel like this. I knew what was going on in that relationship, but now...Glenn, I don't know what's going on..."

"Love is confusing. Love is the best thing to experience. And love hurts."

He could feel Thea's eyes on him again. He didn't know why he was telling her any of this, but after so many months of holding back all the feelings, it was liberating to get some of the pressure off his shoulders.

"Your ex-wife-?"

"She knew what she was getting into when she married me. She knew that I would be on the road more than I would be home and still she agreed to marry me. I loved her with all that I had, even if it wasn't much...I thought she loved me...She had me so convinced with every smile, every touch, every word she said..." He sighed. "But one day, I decided to come home as a surprise for her. I bought her flowers and sneaked inside my own house. I found them in my bed. You would have thought that I'd done something wrong because she started screaming at me, ordering me out of the room...out of our house."

Thea's voice was hesitant. "What did you do?"

"I left. I didn't come back until the sun was going down. He was gone. And my wife...she showed no guilt at being caught in the act and told me to get my things and leave...I gathered my things and I drove away, not coming back until she served me the divorce papers..." He offered his rookie a wry smile. "She told me then that she hadn't meant to hurt me and that it was my fault that she had been unfaithful in our relationship...she said that if I had been around more, if I had taken better care of her, that she wouldn't have gone astray...Then she took away everything and left me with a gaping hole in my heart..."

"Glenn...I'm sorry," Thea whispered.

"It wasn't your fault...It was mine. I should have-"

"No. You didn't do anything wrong," Thea told him, putting a hand on his arm. "Your wife knew what she was getting into when she married a professional wrestler. She could have said no to a relationship, but she didn't. And it was her idea to bring someone else into the mix. She was the one to betray the sacred vows of marriage...She did that. You didn't."

"But-"

"No Glenn. You entered into that marriage with a heart ready to express all the love in the world. You gave her all the love that you could and she took it all and handed it back to you like it didn't mean a thing..." Thea's eyes darkened and she looked away. "She doesn't realize how precious love from you really is...if she did...things would be different..."

She lapsed into silence, brooding over things that Glenn wasn't privy to. He looked out at the cold gym equipment, wondering how the girl could defend him so easily. How she could easily assume that he hadn't had any fault in his broken relationship with his ex-wife. He knew he didn't do anything wrong, that he had tried to keep the marriage going for as long as he could before he caught his wife cheating on him. But how could the girl? She hadn't known him for more than a few months and he never told her anything before now.

"Do you really think that?" he asked.

"Think what?"  
"That love from me is precious?"

Thea hesitated. "I...I think you're a man who is careful about who he loves...It takes a special kind of person to earn any real love from you. Maybe your wife had it for awhile, but you're the man who doesn't give love freely. People like me, we have to earn our ways into your heart and in that journey, we have a lot of soul searching to do in ourselves..." She patted his arm. "Don't worry. One day...you'll find someone who will love you for everything that you are...and I'll be happy for you...Who knows? You might get a bouncing baby boy out of it...That will be one lucky girl..."

Glenn watched her as she said those words. She was feigning happiness for him, he could see that.

"_I love you..." _She had said those words not long ago. He was starting to wonder if the alcohol had really placed the words in her head or if it had simply brought out her real feelings for him. And if she really meant what she said...why hadn't she told him?

"Should we get to training or should we scrap the idea and go our separate ways?" Thea asked, glancing up at a digital clock on the wall. "It's a little past lunch time..."

Glenn glanced at the clock. She was right, but he didn't feel like training. And he hadn't eaten breakfast, so he was growing hungry.

"Do you want to get some lunch?" he asked, getting to his feet.

"Like a date?" Thea cocked her head to one side.

"Like two friends having lunch," Glenn corrected, offering her a hand up.

A small smile appeared on her lips as she took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. "That would be nice..."

A smile appeared on Glenn's face and he led the way out of the gym. Fellow wrestlers muttered greetings in passing as they moved about inside the hotel. Glenn led the way out of the hotel and they were instantly surrounded by flashing cameras. Thea squeaked and looked away from the cameras, her face becoming red as Glenn talked to the valet.

"Thea! Are you suffering from a hangover?"

"Are you an alcoholic?"

"Thea! Thea!"

Glenn wrapped an arm around Thea's shoulders and escorted her to the passenger's side of his car when the valet drove it up to the front of the hotel. The cameras followed.

"Get in," he ordered quietly.

Thea mouthed 'sorry' to him and climbed in, bowing her head in shame. Glenn close the door with a snap and turned to look at the all the cameramen as they tried to snap as many photos as they could and shoot the best images with their video cameras.

"All of you leave her alone," he ordered. "She made a mistake. We've all done it. Now back off or I'll make you regret it." As if to prove his point, he grabbed the nearest camera and smashed it on the ground. "Back. Off."

With that, he walked over to the driver's side and climbed in. The cameras still flashed around them. He revved the car and sped off, leaving the paparazzi behind them. Thea turned and looked back at them as they vanished from view.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"Not a problem."  
"You're going to have to do something about the camera you smashed." Thea pointed out, settling back in her seat. "They could charge you with destruction of property or something..."

"Well, I guess that means you're old news then, doesn't it?" Glenn smirked at her.

Thea leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek, a smile on her face once more. "Thanks Glenn."

Glenn looked over at her, but she looked away. His smirk turned into a smile and he looked back out at the road, trying to think of where they could go for lunch in the city.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Still interesting? I hope you think so and will review me! Updates will probably follow soon, so stay tuned!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Wow! So many reviews in such little time! You people are really awesome! I'm glad you are all still interested in this...let's keep it that way, shall we?**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea glared up at the lights as she lay on her back. Michelle and Layla were cheering as their rookie and Dolph Ziggler gloated about their victory over her. It hadn't been a scheduled two on one handicapped match, but because of the little incident with Vickie Guerrero, Thea's match against Layla's and Michelle's rookie suddenly included Dolph Ziggler. And that didn't count out the interference that came from the Simply Flawless posse that Kane couldn't stop.

Dolph walked over and looked down at her. "Do you regret not taking me up on my offer Viper?" he asked with a cocky smile.

Thea groaned and looked away from him. "Not really. I can't stand your fro."

Dolph ran a hand through his hair and kicked her in the side. Thea recoiled from the blow and rolled over onto her stomach, deciding it was best to get over to the ropes to get to her feet. Dolph kicked her again and then she caught sight of the Simply Flawless Divas coming that way.

_Oh great...Ambush._

Thea rolled stiffly to her feet and knocked Dolph back. Kane was already near the ropes, scaring the Flawless Divas back. The Divas may be vicious but they didn't stand a chance against the Big Red Monster. He climbed into the ring and gave Dolph a look that told him to back off or he'd get beat senseless. Dolph listened for once and slid out of the ring, leading the way up the ramp.

Thea leaned against the ropes and looked at Kane. "Sorry..."

He was silent, holding a hand out. Thea hesitated and held her hand out. Then she pulled it back and threw a catlike smile in his direction. Kane smirked.

"I take it you're all right," he said.

Thea nodded. Kane turned and climbed out of the ring. Thea looked out at the commentators and the crowd, a smile on her face.

"What is Viper planning?" Todd asked.

Thea turned and ran across the ring, jumping over the top rope. Somehow she ended up on Kane's back and she kissed him on the cheek. Kane dropped her and Thea danced around him, motioning for him to come after her. He lunged and she dodged him, running back towards the gorilla entrance. She did a little shimmy that got the crowd riled up and ran behind the curtain.

"You lost!" Kari complained, walking over. "How could you lose against two of the...well I can't say weakest because I haven't seen Kaval fight much, but still...How could you lose to Dolph Ziggler?"

"I was bound to lose sometime," Thea said, walking down a hall. "I wasn't prepared for a two on one match. And I wasn't exactly prepared for the interference from Michelle and Layla." She glanced at her shorter companion. "You better watch out for them. If you get in a match against any of the Flawless posse, tell me and I'll be out there to keep the interference to a minimal."

She stretched her arms out with a yawn. "I'm so glad that the cameras are starting to stay off me more. I hate looking like a clueless idiot when it comes to some of the promos..."

Kari smiled. "Well I love to see you look like an idiot. Makes you seem more normal and not some Kane-like dummy."

"And I love how you think you're sweet when you're not," Thea said, reaching out to knock her friend upside the head. "Don't you have an Undertaker to butter up with brownies or something?"

"At least I admit that I like him," Kari muttered, crossing her arms. "You won't even admit to Glenn that you like him. All you do is flirt with him when he's Kane."

"You don't know that I like Glenn."

"Honey, I like someone. I know when someone else is crushing on someone else. You like Glenn."  
Thea shook her head. "Even if I did, it wouldn't make a difference. He doesn't like me."

"Are you kidding me?" Kari grabbed her friend's arm and turned her. "After everything that you've told me. After everything I've seen when you two are together...There is no way in Hell that that man doesn't have a serious crush on you. And I know you are starting to realize it."

Thea shook her head and leaned up against a wall. "Kari...why are you all trying to force something that's probably not going to happen?"

"Because it's going to happen," Kari insisted. "You and Glenn are like..."

"Kari, your music is about to play," someone said as they passed.

"Crap! I'll talk to you later Thea," Kari exclaimed, hurrying off.

Thea smirked and started heading for the girl's locker room. Someone else called her name and she turned around with a sigh.

"What can I help you with Glenn?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"I was just checking on you," he said, keeping his distance. "You took a few nasty falls during the match..."

"Well Kaval is pretty good," Thea commented. "He's got some interesting moves and they're really good...And Nick, I might not give him much credit, but he's pretty vicious when he wants to be." She smirked. "Too bad Vickie's got him whipped."

"It's just a storyline," Glenn reminded her. "He's not close to the pig by choice."

"If you say so."

"Are you sure you're all right?" Glenn asked.

"I'm fine." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm just going to go get a shower and then I'm going to go back to the hotel. My dad is expecting a call from me and I don't want to disappoint him."

"Okay."

Thea turned and walked off, disappearing into the locker rooms. Once in the safety of the room, she stepped out of her dark tiger striped pants and looked at her hip. A fist-sized bruise was developing there. Thea touched it gingerly and sighed.

_This is nothing_, she thought, poking it again. _Nothing at all...Just a little bruise in the shape of Nick's fist. Great. The jerk marked me..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn changed and left the boy's locker rooms when the show was over. He had watched Drew get his ass kicked by Matt and Kofi and had to admit that it was good to see him get beat. The Miz had decided to make an appearance at tonight's show and had talked with the commentators during a couple of matches. Now the man was standing in a corner, trying to look casual as he talked on a phone.

"Thea, I'm sorry," he said into the phone. "I was talking with some of the guys about past girlfriends and...your name just slipped...No, I don't think anyone is going to...I know you're worried that someone is going to come after me because of what happened...but you know I was drunk...Can't you make your friends understand?"

Glenn's eyes narrowed and his hand tightened on his gym bag. _So Mike is Thea's ex...He was the one who abused her for so long and..._

"Thea...please, stop yelling...I know this sounds bad...No one is going to do anything like that..." Mike said, glancing around but not turning in Glenn's direction. "Thea, babe, you're overreacting...If your friends really do that...won't they ask you first? You could always set them straight...No I'm not saying that any of what happened was your fault...I...Thea? Thea?"

Thea had obviously hung up on him. Glenn watched Mike sigh and put his cell phone in his pocket. The younger man turned and saw Glenn standing there. His eyes went wide and he started to sweat.

"Uh...Glenn, I didn't see you standing there," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "How – how much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that you're the scumbag who nearly killed Thea," Glenn snarled, advancing on the boy.

"Man, that was over a year ago," Mike said, backing farther into the corner. "Thea's forgiven me...She understands that I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't mean to? You didn't mean to almost kill her? Or you didn't mean to beat her all those times?" Glenn demanded, his voice no more than a growl. "You expect 'I was drunk' to make up for all of that? Well, I'm here to tell you that it doesn't!"

Mike tried to block Glenn's punch, but he couldn't get his arms up fast enough. Glenn's fist cracked him upside the head and made him fall back against the wall. Glenn wasn't done though. He had more punches and kicks where that came from.

"Whoa! Glenn stop!" Stephen shouted, coming over with John and Ron. "Stop it!"

The three men struggled, but managed to pull Glenn away from a cringing Mike. John stepped between the two of them, just in case Glenn broke free.

"What's the problem?" Ron asked.

"He was the one," Glenn hissed, pointing a finger at Mike.

"He was the one that did what?" John looked at Mike. "Don't tell me that you punched him first, Mike."

Mike shook his head.

"He was the one that hurt Thea," Glenn growled, struggling against Stephen and Ron's grip. "Last year...he did it..."

Stephen looked at Mike. "Is he telling the truth?"

Mike nodded reluctantly. "I was...drunk all the time...and Thea...I didn't mean it you guys."

John shook his head. "Sorry I have to do this, but..." He turned and punched Mike in the face. "There is never a good excuse for hitting a lady."

The other two men released Glenn and in unison, they descended upon Mike like he was the lamb for the slaughter.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea opened the door to her hotel room when someone knocked. It was Glenn and Thea could see a black eye developing.

"Glenn, what happened to your eye?" she demanded, pulling him into her room. "And why is there blood on your shirt?"

"Mike."

Thea's eyes widened and she looked away. "So you found out..."

"I overheard him talking on the phone to you earlier," Glenn told her, glancing around the room. "And I had my suspicions before then..." He turned to look at her. "Why didn't you tell me that he was the one that-"

"That hurt me? That delivered the final blow in the match that left me in the hospital for weeks?" Thea shook her head. "Maybe because I knew you would start something with him. I knew you were going to beat him up the moment you found out and did I want that to happen? No. I wanted him to suffer at my hands...At least I'd only bring down my career, but you just had to go and play the hero."

"I wasn't alone," Glenn told her. "There were others who went after him."  
Thea's eyes narrowed. "Who else was there?"

"Hennigan, Killings, and Farrelly."

"Ugh!" Thea rolled her eyes and stormed away, kicking her suitcase on the floor. "Dammit! Why do guys always have to beat each other up when there's one little problem?"

"Little? He could have killed you."

"And you could have killed him." Thea spun around and looked at him. "I had plenty of opportunities to handle this situation myself...I was going to tell you eventually when I had sorted everything out with Mike, but you couldn't wait...I bet you got in some serious trouble because of your actions."

"I'm suspended for a week."

"Mike's not pressing for assault charges?"

"He's too scared to even try."

Thea sighed and sank onto the foot of her bed. "Glenn...why couldn't you come to me before you beat him up? I could have talked some sense into you before you went and did something to hurt your job."

"I needed some time off of work...And I didn't need to come to you because you would have talked me out of it when that bastard needed to be beat like he beat you."

"Glenn...why did you do it?" Thea asked. "I can understand why Stephen attacked Mike because he's been my friend for a long time...but you? I don't get it."

She saw the hesitation in his eyes. It was like he wanted to tell her something, but it wasn't making its way to his lips.

"You're my friend and rookie. It's my job to look out for you and...well, I take it personally when a man beats a girl," Glenn said.

"And how do you know that I didn't do anything to make Mike want to get drunk and beat me? How do you know that I wasn't the problem."

"Because you were sixteen. You didn't know any better. You thought you were in love and you were scared." Glenn sat on the bed next to her. "And I know who you are today. I've watched you. I've hung out with you. I know you aren't the type to drive a man into the embrace of alcohol and definitely not to the point where he wants to beat you senseless. You're the type that makes a man just want to hold you and listen to you talk for hours, even if it's about nothing at all..."

Thea looked at him. _Kari would be eating this up right now and would give me a look that says 'I told you so' because of what he's saying...Does he really think I'm like that or is he just trying to be nice?_

"Glenn...Will you stop being nice to me for one minute?" Thea asked, scratching her head. "I am not an innocent little girl like you want to believe I am...I stole money from Mike."

"What?"

"I stole money from Mike because of reasons that I will not tell you..."

"You didn't use it to get drugs, did you?"

"No. My career means more to me than getting a cheap high."

"Then you probably did it to keep him from getting drunk. Too bad that men find ways to get drunk, no matter what a woman does."

_Damn. _"Why am I so translucent around you? You know everything...even when I tell no one! I really don't like playing these kinds of games with you..."

"We're not playing games."

"Then tell me one thing."

Glenn's eyes hardened. "What?"

"Do you like me or not?" Thea demanded, leaning forward.

"Does it matter if I do?"

"Don't answer my questions with another question. This is not a game."

"It shouldn't matter if I like you or not."

"Well it matters to me."

"Why?"  
"Because it just does. I...You know what? Forget it. Forget all of this." Thea stood up and walked around the bed, bending down to pick up her shoes. "I'll have a much easier time talking to someone who doesn't play games with me during all of our conversations...Besides, I need to chew out Stephen."

"We were all just looking out for you." Glenn told her, getting to his feet. "Your father-"

"My father would have come to me first," Thea hissed, pulling her hair back in a sloppy ponytail. "So, if you were thinking that he would have gone off and beat the living daylights out of Mike, risking his job and getting demoted, then you're dead wrong. He has more sense than some people."

Thea didn't care that she had just made the dirty look appear on his face. She pulled her converse all-stars on and started walking around him. He stepped in her path.

"Do you really want an answer to your question?" Glenn demanded, looking down at her.

"An answer would be nice," Thea said, crossing her arms.

"I...tolerate you," Glenn stated, disappointment in his eyes as he looked away from her. Thea didn't know if the disappointment was focused at her or at himself. "I'm bordering on like, but some of the things you do-"

"That's not a straight answer."

"I like you...as a friend," Glenn muttered, not meeting her eyes.

"Oh." That wasn't the answer that Thea was expecting, but at least it was something. "All right then." Thea brushed past him, heading for the door. "I'll see you later."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn had watched Thea walk down the hall to the elevator and disappear in it. He walked down the stairs to the hotel bar, knowing that most of the other wrestlers were probably asleep. The Dead Man was sitting at the bar, a half finished beer sitting in front of him.

_Figures..._

Glenn sat down as far away from Mark as he could. The barkeep placed a beer before him and he took a swig.

"Did you tell her?" Mark's voice made its way down the bar.

Glenn glanced down at Mark. The Dead Man wasn't even looking at him. He frowned and looked up at the TV that was playing infomercials.

Mark chuckled. "So you didn't. I never took you to be a coward."

"I am not a coward," Glenn grumbled.

"Then why doesn't she know how you feel about her?" Mark asked. "Why haven't you told her that you're feeling more than friendly feelings for her?" He chuckled. "Or are you waiting for her to make the first move?"

"You need to keep your nose in your own business Mark," Glenn snapped, setting his beer bottle down with a glare in Mark's direction.

"Pretty soon, it will be my business," Mark said. "If you continue to hold back the raw feelings that you are suppressing – love, anger, sorrow – people are going to get hurt. You've already attacked Mike. Who is to say what you will do if Thea gets tired of waiting for you and finds someone else to love? Will you go off on a rampage and attack that boy? Will you continue to attack each person she falls in love with until she has no one left to turn to but you?"

"I'm not like that," Glenn stated.

"The feelings you have for Thea are just going to grow more powerful," Mark continued, staring at the rows of liquor bottles behind the bar. "It's going to get harder for you to suppress them. You'll begin to fantasize about her and then you'll start going after her. One day, you could just attack her with intentions of showing her love and she could do one of two things. She could accept you or she could reject you in fear of what you have done."

"I am _not _going to hurt Thea! She – she doesn't need another monster in her life to fear...How could she love me when I am so old, so monstrous? How Mark?" He shook his head and looked at his beer. "No. What she has is a crush like school girls have on their male teachers...She doesn't know any better and soon, a pretty face will catch her eye and she won't look at me again."  
Mark glanced down at him. "Is that really what you believe? That this is just a school girl crush on her part? And what of you? What is this to you?"

Glenn stared at the TV without really seeing it. "It's something that drives me insane...I lay awake at night, replaying the day over and over whenever I've spent it with her...I shouldn't feel these feelings. It's not right. She's young enough to be my daughter and even if she wasn't, I don't deserve someone like her...I don't deserve her."

"The man that deserves a woman the most is the one that believes he doesn't," Mark whispered, putting some money down on the bar.

"I don't deserve her. I don't deserve anyone."

"Try telling Thea that." Mark told him, getting to his feet. "And try telling your body to ignore something as powerful as love while you're at it...See where that leads you."

Glenn watched his pretend brother walk towards the entrance of the bar. "Did you tell Kari?"

Mark paused in the doorway. "That is a tale for another time, brother." Then like a ghost, he vanished.

Glenn looked back at the TV. "You love Kari...and I love...Thea."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: There you go, Glenn admits that he likes her...but not to her. I'm going to keep them like this for a little while longer because it's all going to build up to something that's fantastic in my opinion. Just a heads up for the future...Thea's going to experience some pain to rival the match where Mike attacked her...Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: YAY! So many reviewers, and some of you are new to the story...I love it. But I'll tell you two things that I don't love. 1) Drew's visa expired. 2) Undertaker married Michelle McCool on the 26th of June...But the good news is that I'm simply going to overlook these two annoyances and continue on like nothing as bad as them has ever happened...Smile and read on, things are going to be interesting... **

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The week of the suspension went faster than Glenn thought it would. He didn't head back to his house for some R&R like the others who were suspended did. He couldn't do that when he had a rookie to train. During that week's show, he didn't appear by her side like he usually did, but he watched from backstage. Alone with Dolph Ziggler, she proved to be unforgiving for a loss that he had a hand in. The boy soon was crawling out of the ring much to the dismay of Vickie Guerrero.

And training sessions with Thea were awkward. She told him on the very first day of his suspension that she wasn't going to talk to him. She had just given him looks at his questions and went through the new moves he wanted her to learn.

There was a moment of gentleness from her that he didn't expect though. She accidentally threw him into the turnbuckle the wrong way and cut him above the eye. With gentle hands she had helped clean the wound and pressed a small bandage over it.

"Are you okay?" she had asked, looking sorry for what she had done.

He had nodded, touched by the fact that she had cared. Then she had resumed her vow of silence and had attacked him again like he instructed her to.

Now that his suspension was over, they had a mixed tag match against Dolph and Michelle. Thea sporting a pair of jean shorts and a top that looked like it was made of snake skin, slammed Michelle onto the mat viciously. She had been told before they went out to go easier on Michelle since she wasn't her normal opponent. So the hits were softer and the kicks had less impact, but Kane knew that the Champion would be hurting for days.

Kane watched Thea grab Michelle by the hair, hauling her to her feet only to throw her back down again. The Flawless Diva hit the mat and gasped for the air that was knocked out of her. Thea circled her, sending out little kicks that connected with Michelle's slim body.

"Stop toying with her!" Kane ordered, watching Dolph sway as he stood on the apron. He had already had his revenge on the man who had cost Thea's last match. "Finish it!"

Thea glanced at him as Michelle got to her feet wobbly. With a smirk, she flipped the blonde onto her back and held her down for a three count. The bell went off and Dolph jumped from the apron, nearly falling as he limped away. Thea nudged Michelle to the edge of the ring and knocked her to the floor where Vickie Guerrero and Layla stood waiting.

"I'm coming for your belt next," Thea hissed at the Flawless posse as Kane climbed into the ring. "I'm going to be the Woman's Champion..."

The three women shook their heads and backed up the ramp. Thea turned and walked to the center of the ring where Kane stood. Kane looked down at her when she held her hand out.

"Good work," she said with a smile.

Kane felt the eyes of the world on him as he took her hand. Shane had come to him before the show and had told him that it was time to turn the romance up a bit. It was time for him to do the thing that he had both dreaded and anticipated since signing the contract.

"Kane?" Thea looked confused.

Kane lowered his face to hers and brushed his lips against hers. She didn't jerk back so he pressed his lips against hers harder and to his surprise, he felt her kiss him back. When he pulled back several moments later, she was watching him with surprise in her eyes.

The crowd was silent as he lifted his arms up in the air and brought them down, letting the pyrotechnics go off. Thea stood next to him, a small smile on her face. Kane slipped an arm around her shoulders and the arena went black. When the lights came back on, no one stood in the ring.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea sighed as she leaned back against the wall. _Well that was unexpected..._

She hadn't been kissed in a long time and she hadn't expected her first kiss in over a year to come from her mentor. It hadn't been a bad kiss, but it was surprising. And what surprised her the most is that she wanted it to happen again.

_Cool down girl. This is no time to get all horny on someone who is paid to like you for now. It was just a kiss...one hell of a kiss...but it was just one kiss. It's probably not going to happen again for a very long time...or ever. Yeah, that's right. Glenn doesn't like kissing...but man is he good at it._

"Someone's fantasizing about Glenn again," someone commented, breaking into her thoughts. "And just after one kiss..."

Thea's eyes narrowed as she looked at Drew. "Oh, that was so funny I forgot to laugh."

Drew chuckled and leaned against the wall next to her. "Someone is obviously not in the mood for fun and games tonight. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I guess I'm still irked about what happened last week," Thea muttered, looking straight ahead again. "From having my mentor and friends suspended to Dolph interfering in my match again, I just can't get a break."

"And having this storyline doesn't help it," Drew guessed. "But it's not like they're forcing you to fall in love with Glenn."

"Yeah, I can do that by myself." Thea sighed and looked down at her feet. "I'm finally going to admit to myself and you that I...may be developing feelings for Glenn. I think it's more than just a crush, but I'm not sure."

"It's about time you admit it. I was starting to wonder if you were going to keep pretending like you didn't know and that we were all just clueless about your true feelings." Drew smiled a small, half smile. "Are you going to tell him?"

"Why should I tell him?" Thea asked, crossing her arms. "I thought it was the man's job to make the first move."  
"Well normally it is," Drew said, crossing his arms as well. "But some men like it when the lady of their life makes the first move."

"I'm a traditionalist. Guys make the first move. I think it's more romantic that way."

"Ah, am I harboring a romantic?" Drew smirked when Thea bumped her elbow against him. "Romantics aside, a man making the first move shows courage and manliness. But if a woman makes the first move it shows that she knows what she wants and takes the pressure off the man. And you know that there is a lot of pressure on a man daily."

"Oh yes, lots of pressure." Thea sighed and looked at him. "Do you really think I should tell Glenn that I like him?"

"I don't know lass...Glenn seems to me like a manly man. If you're lucky, he'll admit to you that he likes you soon and the boring games can end and the real interesting games can begin."

Thea's mouth dropped open as she processed that. "Drew! I'm – I – You're a freaking pervert! Thinking that things are going to become hot and heavy like that so soon..."

"Well lass," His eyes twinkled with laughter that wasn't there on the show. "You two have been without some real love for a very long time...things are bound to happen quickly and hopefully, they last a good long while."

Thea shook her head. "I don't think like that..."

Drew gave her a look. "Lass."

"Okay, sometimes I think about guys in that kind of way, but my thoughts are never beyond R rating. Unlike some people, I don't run porn in my head." She made a face. "Can we move onto another subject? I don't like the thinking of X rated material...Remember, I haven't slept with anyone yet."

"That's good. Teenagers and sex shouldn't mix."

"Having a father lay down the law to the exact letter in a house keeps a lot of the 'fun' stuff at the back of a person's mind." Thea frowned. "I've only had one real boyfriend..."

"Mike."

"And you saw where that lead me."

"Yeah...but not all men are like that. You've seen that." Drew wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "And I may not know Glenn as well as someone like Mark does, but I know that he didn't mistreat his wife. He won't mistreat you or you'll have the better part of the roster on his ass in an instant."

A small smile touched Thea's lips. "I don't think I'd like having so many people get suspended because of a little incident like that..."

"It can be part of a storyline. It wouldn't be too hard to pull the right strings and get a Kane bashing storyline into the mix. And I know some decent men who would risk suspension for you if we couldn't get a storyline."

"John, Ron, Stephen, you...And I might feel a little grateful for that, but mostly I'd just be pissed at you all for getting suspended because of me. I can handle women abusers by myself now, so if I ever get in another relationship, I won't need you to beat my boyfriend senseless. I can beat up the boys now or do you need another lesson to prove that?"

Drew shook his head. "No. I know you're tough, but you shouldn't have to fight everyone in your life. That's why God created guy friends, big brothers, and fathers."

"Wait. I have _guy _friends?" A large smile was on her face when she saw the dirty look on Drew's. "Kidding. I know you're a guy. A really great guy." She gave him a hug. "And I'm really lucky to have you."

Drew wrapped his arms around Thea and rested his chin on top of her head. "Ditto."

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn watched Thea dance around with her friends. He hadn't seen her drink anything at all since he got there. Stephen and Drew had pestered her about getting some Coke in her system, but she waved them off and continued to dance like she didn't have a care in the world. He knew he was staring, but she never looked his way so she didn't catch him.

"I don't get it," Phil was muttering down the bar. "I asked her if she wanted to be part of the Straight Edge Society and she turned me down. Even when I told her that she didn't have to shave her head, she said no. It was like she didn't care that she was poisoning her body with alcohol...Probably drugs."

A guy next to him glanced at the little man. "Who the hell are you talking to?"

Phil looked around with glazed eyes. "I don't know...You. No one. I don't know." His eyes landed on Glenn. "Why doesn't she want to be part of the SES family, Glenn?"

"Because you're a bunch of idiots," Glenn muttered, turning his back on Thea's dancing form in favor of a drink. "And hypocrites."

"How so?"

"You drink when you ramble on to the people about how alcohol is bad for them. On and on you ramble about the evils of alcohol and after every show, where do I find you? In a bar with bottles and bottles of beer keeping you company."

"Oh." Phil slumped forward in his seat. "But I'm not an alcoholic...no...no..."

"So..." someone said and Glenn glanced to his right to find Thea leaning casually against the bar. "If you're going to come to clubs to watch over me, you're going to have to blend in better."

"Don't get full of yourself," Glenn grumbled, not meeting her eyes. "I'm not here to watch over you."

A small smile appeared on Thea's lips as she sipped on the Coke that the barkeep gave her. "Well, I've noticed you were staring at me for the past hour, but maybe it was nothing."

"I wasn't staring. I was watching."

"Yes because there's a big difference between the two." Thea looked at him. "You know, you could really lighten up one of these days. People don't expect you to be a grouch all the time. Just when you're playing Kane. Separate work from the rest of your world and you'd be surprised how many people would like to hang out with you."

Glenn rolled his eyes. "Right."

"No, I'm being serious." Thea set her drink down and grabbed his hand. "C'mon. I'll show you."

She tried pulling him to his feet, but Glenn didn't want to move. It amused him to see her struggle to make someone so much larger than herself move.

"Glenn, come on!" Thea said, giving his arm an insistent tug. "All I want to do is get you on the dance floor."

"Oh no. I am not going there. Forget it." Glenn pulled his arm back and ended up pulling her in the process.

She bumped into his body and glared at him. "Glenn...don't be like that. No one here will judge you if you have one night of fun. Dancing is fun. You can be fun too." Her eyes narrowed. "Don't make me get Stephen and Drew over here to drag you onto the dance floor because I really will."

"Why is it so important to you to get him on the dance floor?" Phil asked, looking at Thea. "He...he can't even dance to save his life...All the alcohol in his system...he'll be falling over himself and puke on your shoes...he he... that will teach you for not joining the SES...you brat..."

Glenn glared at the SES savior and got to his feet. "Oh yeah? Is that what you think?"

"What he thinks isn't important," Thea said, her hand still around his wrist. "He's drunk. And you don't have to dance in here if you don't want to."  
"What?"

Thea smiled and pulled him through the crowd and out the doors. Music spilled out into the parking lot. Glenn glanced back as the doors closed, cutting them off from the rest of the people.

Thea released him and stretched her arms out. "This...this is the perfect dance floor. No one except God, the perverted security guards, and drunk club goers will see us." She looked up at the dark night sky. "I love you God! We're gonna dance for you!"

Glenn smirked and looked up at the night sky, wondering if God was really watching them at that moment.

"Okay. A new song is playing," Thea said, turning to face him. "We can dance now."

Glenn stepped back. Thea giggled.

"We're not doing the tango. At least, not until I find a club where there is some good tango music. No, we're just going to dance like every other person in that club dances. If it involves some bump and grind moves, it's probably as harmless as the bump and grind moves in high school dances. So don't get scared."

"I have danced before," Glenn told her. "I was young at one point in time."

"Of course you were," Thea said with a bright smile. "Now, shut up and dance."

Glenn watched Thea's body move to the music and did his best to keep up. Thea smiled encouragingly and moved a little closer. Before Glenn knew it, he was dancing with his body pressed closely against hers. Their bodies moved like they were one and Glenn felt that it was right. But the song was over before he would have liked it to end.

"Wow..." Thea breathed, stepping away from him. "You are a really good dancer..." A playful smile graced her lips. "I bet you were the life of the party when you were younger. Made all the ladies swoon and broke some hearts..."

Glenn smirked. "You could say that."

Thea glanced back at the club when a slower song started playing. "Oh...well...I don't think they could have played a better song to...make people fall asleep..." She looked at him almost apologetically. "You probably don't want to dance to something like this."

"You're wrong."

Thea looked startled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, but she went along with it, putting her hands on his shoulders. The two moved slowly to the music, not talking, simply looking at each other. It felt right to Glenn. He wanted to tell her that, but he knew that he couldn't. She probably didn't feel the same about him.

"If you did this more often with actual people, you'd be surrounded by friends in no time," Thea said softly. "You could still be the one that people depend on and have fun at the same time. I'd even help you find friends amongst my small circle of guy friends."

"I don't think so."

"Well...I guess I can be your friend because one friend is better than none." Thea smiled at him and Glenn felt his heart thaw a little more.

_She'd never accept you_, a small voice in Glenn's head whispered and nothing Glenn could do would hush that voice as he spent another half hour with Thea in the parking lot.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Boo...That was a bad voice at the end, ruining the perfect moment, but alas, he won't tell her how he really feels for a little while longer. He's got to put his big boy underwear before he can do that my friends...**

**Keep up with the reviews!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I'm sorry that I burst your happy bubbles with the knowledge I have of the Undertaker, but I'm glad that you continue to like and read my chapters as I update the story. And I'm thinking about having more deep moments with the Undertaker, only some could involve Thea...Any ideas for what he could say?**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea sighed as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Smile, Smile...Where are you Smile?" she asked, grabbing her eyeliner. "I could really use you tonight."

A smile didn't appear on her lips but she knew she should be happy. Matt had officially proposed to Maria and they were throwing a formal engagement party. Her wardrobe had been lacking in formal dresses, so a couple of the Divas had pulled her out of training and had gone dress shopping with her. Normally, she would feel uncomfortable in a dress, but the Divas had found a dress that she felt comfortable in and that didn't clash with her hair.

"Okay Smile, be late," Thea muttered, applying the eyeliner and studying her face from the side. "I'll be patient."  
There was a knock on the bathroom door. "Lass, are you done talking to yourself?"

"Yes Drew," Thea said, glancing at the door. "And you can come in. I am decent."

The door opened and Drew stepped in. A smile crept onto Thea's face as she took in the nice black slacks, the deep blue dress shirt, and the black suit jacket her best friend was wearing.

"You look nice," Thea told him, the smile growing as he grew closer. "You really do."

"I've been known to pull off a few decent looks," Drew agreed, his eyes roaming over her. "But you lass...you look wonderful."

Thea glanced down at her dress. It was a long lavender dress with a black floral design creeping up the sides, there was a long slit on the right side and it was backless. "Thank Maria and Mickie for this look because they're the ones who found the dress."  
"And I forgot my camera," Drew said with a sigh. Then he got that evil gleam in his eyes. "Oh, wait. I didn't."  
He pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of her when she was completely caught off guard. He chuckled and stowed his phone back in his pocket. Thea threw her lipstick at him and turned away to look at her reflection once more.

"I feel ridiculous," she mumbled, playing with one of the strands of hair that framed her face while the rest was piled on top of her head. "It's like I'm a kid trying to be an adult at a party."

"You are an adult," Drew pointed out, fixing the collar of his jacket. "Or have you forgotten that?"

Thea frowned and looked at him. "I still feel like a teenager with adult benefits. When does it finally sink in that you're an adult and people are going to treat you like one?"

Drew looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, it hit me at around the halfway point to my nineteenth birthday, but I have no clue when it's going to hit you...Besides, people already treat you like you're an adult. At least, Stephen and I do."

"I'm fussing about nothing then." Thea walked out of the bathroom and looked around the hotel room for her clutch. "I'm just not used to this kind of thing..."

"Thea, stop stressing. Everyone is going to have fun tonight. Everyone." Drew smirked as he leaned against the door. "Maybe Glenn will be there and he'll see you looking like this. I bet that will make it more difficult for him to keep his feelings suppressed in the dark abyss of his body. But maybe that was your goal for tonight."

Thea shot him a dirty look and scooped up her black clutch. "Is it _your _goal to impress Taryn with your looks?"

"Maybe, but you know she's out of my league."

Thea snorted. "Seriously? She likes you. A lot. Every time we have the same locker room, she goes on and on about you and if she hasn't asked me a million times to find out if you like her, it'll be a miracle. Just ask her out already."

Drew smirked. "I think I will...When are you going to ask Glenn?"

Thea hesitated, remembering the night she had danced with Glenn in the parking lot of a club. "Probably never...Remember, I'm the traditionalist when it comes to romance. He asks me or I'll be single for the rest of time...or until someone else makes my heart do back flips."

"I don't think anyone will capture your heart like Glenn has," Drew said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they headed out the door. "If they do, it'll be a miracle."

Thea glanced at him. "You don't think I could find someone else if Glenn doesn't say he loves me?"

"It wouldn't be the same. And I'm sure you wouldn't be looking for someone else after a rejection like that..."

The two fell silent as they waited for the elevator. Thea knew that rejection from Glenn, if it ever came, would hurt her. How much, she didn't know, but she knew it would hurt a lot. But she'd have to learn to move on and find someone else to love because she was young and had a full life ahead of her.

"If I can't have Glenn, there will be other guys out there." She smiled. "There is always Stephen... or either John..."

"So, you don't think I'd make a good boyfriend?"

"You'll have Taryn way before I get an answer out of Glenn," Thea pointed out. "She'll be your girlfriend and it's not like I have any plans to steal a guy from one of my friends, even when the guy is you." She bumped her elbow against his side gently. "Don't worry about me. I can handle myself and I just want you to have a good time tonight."

"If you can promise me that you'll have a good time, then I guess I can manage to have a good time."

"I promise."

"Good."

Stephen was pacing outside the ballroom of another hotel when Thea and Drew appeared fifteen minutes later. A big smile crossed his face as he looked at the two of them.

"You look as beautiful as Erin would if she were here," Stephen said, speaking of a Celtic goddess as he looked at Thea. His smile turned evil. "Glenn won't be able to control himself when he sees you."

"If you say so." Thea giggled. "You two look like you could be brothers."

Stephen looked down at his green dress shirt and black suit pants and jacket. "It was by accident, I can assure you."

"Well, I think you both look great," Thea told him, hooking an arm through one of each of the boys. "Girls are going to be all over you, so I will understand if you two can't dance with me."

The two men looked over her head. "We'll make time for you."

"Make time for your girlfriends first. Then make time for me," Thea told them as they walked into the ballroom.

"But we don't have girlfriends," Stephen said.

"Well, that's just going to have to change, isn't it?" Thea marched them over to a group of Divas. "Ladies, I believe these two would like to talk with you."

Stephen and Drew gave her dirty looks that made her laugh, but she saw how the girls were suddenly interested in them. With a smile, she slipped her arms out of theirs and walked off to congratulate the lucky couple.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn adjusted the collar of his jacket and watched the younger people flit about, enjoying themselves. He had yet to see his rookie, but he knew from the fact that she was friends with Maria that she was there. And he knew that he had to avoid her because Mark knowing about his attraction to her was enough. He didn't want the whole roster to know about it, especially since he'd never act upon it.

_But some people have it easier_, Glenn thought bitterly, watching Mark lead Kari over to where people were dancing. _People readily accept him and his decision to have a younger woman, but that's because he's not a monster. People look up to him with respect and they look at me with fear...Evil Glenn, can't have fun around him...Can't show him any love..._

_Until she came around..._

He caught a glimpse of purple hair amongst the group and quickly sat down at the table closest to him. Luckily it was the table that he was supposed to sit at. It was also Mark's table which meant Kari would probably be sitting there too. He didn't see any sign of Thea's presence at the table and was glad for it. It was bad enough that he saw her in his dreams, but in this kind of setting it would be pure torture.

"Hey Glenn," someone said in passing. "Mingle. That's what you're supposed to do at parties."

Glenn scowled at the person and checked his phone. It was only midnight, way too early for him to leave without seeming rude.

_Why do people even invite me to these things?_ Glenn wondered, watching the people dance like they were in their own little worlds. _I am not a party animal...If anything, I'm the downer for the party...I guess they just haven't learned._

Glenn stood up and wandered around the ballroom, looking for the happy couple tonight was all about. He found them surrounded by people and decided it was best to leave them alone since he wasn't a people person. Another flash of purple pulled his attention to another area of the ballroom.

John Hennigan was waltzing amongst the people with someone dressed in a lavender dress. It took Glenn a moment to realize that it was his rookie, but from so far away, he was lucky to even be able to tell who it was at all. The two were going against the music, but they seemed to be enjoying it like the people who were watching them. At the end of the song, John dipped her back to an impossible low and people clapped.

"What a bunch of show offs," Michelle muttered to Layla as they walked past with the rest of their posse.

"Yeah, they won't even tone it down to let the bride-to-be have the glory of tonight," Layla agreed, sticking her little nose in the air. "The jerks."

Glenn glanced at Maria, who was clapping and smiling. She didn't seem to have a problem with what Thea and John were doing. It was just the Lay-Cool duo stirring up trouble again.

"Glenn," Stephen said, suddenly appearing next to him. "The lasses look beautiful tonight, don't they?"

Glenn's eyes scanned over the faces of the women of WWE. "They look...nice..."

"And your rookie, she ranks up there near the top, doesn't she?" Stephen commented, watching Thea walk off the dance floor to do something else.

_The very top_...

"She looks like all of the others," Glenn muttered instead of saying what crossed his mind.

Stephen was silent for a moment, watching his best friend chat easily with people from all parts of the industry. "Oh, I think she's far different from the others. Sure, I could go on and on about how each of the lasses look and how they look good in their own ways. And I know Thea is my best friend, so my opinion is biased, but I thought you of all people would be able to look at one of the lasses and give an unbiased opinion about how she looks." He glanced at Glenn. "I thought you'd at least have an opinion on your rookie's first formal party for the business that's not based on what the other Divas look like."

Glenn's eyes narrowed. "Why does it matter what I think of her? It's not like I'm interested in her."

"Ha! I caught you in a lie," Stephen declared, a smile on his face.

"What?"

"Glenn, when are you going to man up and ask her out on a date?" Stephen demanded, crossing his arms as he looked at the taller man. "And don't give me that nonsense about you not liking her because that's all those words are. Nonsense. You, my fine fellow, have a crush on my best friend."

"I don't." Glenn stated bluntly.

"You're right. What you have for her is more than a simple crush...It's much more powerful. You are madly in love with her."

Glenn glared at the man and pointed a finger at him. "If you so much as -"

"Hello boys," Thea said, walking over and cutting him off. "I was detecting some bad vibes over here and decided to investigate."  
_Oh God, why do you torment me so? _Glenn thought, his eyes taking in the appearance of Thea. _She's...beautiful..._

"Oh, there's no bad vibes over here, lass," Stephen said with a bright smile. "I was just chatting with Glenn here about how lovely you lasses are looking tonight because you all look beautiful."

"I know they all look beautiful," Thea agreed, looking around. "Even Layla and Michelle look great and I'm their enemy, but I'll still say they do." She smiled up at Glenn. "You look great too, Glenn."  
"Thanks..." Glenn muttered, wishing he was some place else. "You look...nice..."

Stephen gave him a look before wrapping an arm around Thea's shoulders. "So, after the waltz with John, do you have the energy to dance with anyone else?"

"Have you found a girlfriend yet?" Thea asked, looking up at him.

"Well...there was one girl, but I'm sure she won't mind if I dance around a bit with my best friend."

Thea pushed his arm off of her shoulders. "Go dance with her. We'll tango after you are guaranteed a first date and a promising future with someone other than me. Understand?"

"I understand." Stephen backed away. "You two enjoy yourselves."

Glenn didn't like the sneaky look on Stephen's face as the Irish man walked away. Thea looked away from him and started people watching, allowing Glenn time to really look at her.

Her dress was beautiful and hugged all the right curves of her slim body. Her hair was twisted up in a classy up-do that made her look more like an adult than he'd ever seen her. She was absolutely beautiful in Glenn's opinion and having such beauty close to him hurt.

_I'm a hideous monster compared to her_, Glenn thought with a frown as he looked at his rookie. _She'd never-_

"So...when are we going to pick up training?" Thea asked, looking at him once more. "Because our training schedule has been so messed up since you've been lined up for match after match with different people. When do you think our next training session is going to be?"

"After Sunday. You won't have another match for awhile, so we don't have to train as often," Glenn said, glad for the distraction.

"Okay, but I'm going to help other guys train," Thea decided, crossing her arms. "They could use some help and...if you want me to, I'll help you." She smiled. "I think I can give you a real challenge after so many training sessions with you..." She shrugged her shoulders and looked at him. "That is, if you actually want me to help at all."

"We'll see about that."

"Cool. Quality time with the Big Red Monster...something that no sane person ever goes after, but who says I'm sane?" She smiled and hooked her arm through his. "How about a dance?"

"I don't think so."

"C'mon. One little dance won't hurt your tough guy image." She pointed at Mark and Kari. "They don't seem to have a problem with dancing and they both have a tough guy image. But I do have to admit that Kari is rather childish when she's in character..."

Glenn shook his head. "I don't-" He stopped talking abruptly when he noticed how Randy Orton was looking at Thea from across the ballroom. "Let's go."

He escorted her to the dance floor and the two of them started dancing to the slow, romantic music. Glenn looked over Thea's head and saw that Randy was still watching them.

_That jerk can't have her..._he thought, tearing his eyes away from the man. _He has a worse track record with girls than I do...and he has a girlfriend..._

"Is something wrong?" Thea asked, making him look down at her once more.

"What?"  
"Well, you have this really intense look in your eyes," Thea muttered, her ice blue eyes meeting his gaze. "It's bordering on disgust...If you really don't want to dance with me, you don't have to."

Glenn was alarmed. He didn't want her to think that he was disgusted with her because that was so far away from the truth that simply thinking that she could disgust him made his stomach clench painfully. It was just the way that other men looked at her that disgusted him...

"It's not you," Glenn told her quickly. "I-I just saw someone that I don't like."

"Really? You must really hate them then because a look like that could kill someone..."

_If only..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The guests were starting to leave when Thea found what she wanted. A piano. It seemed like when she wanted to find one, the hotel didn't have one and when she didn't want to, they had one. With a wary glance at the guests who were saying their farewells, Thea slid onto the bench and pressed a key. Her fingers moved over the keys, playing them softly so that very few people would hear her.

Maria came over and leaned against the piano. "Are you going to play me a song?" she asked.

Thea nodded. "I guess you could consider it a present since I really don't know what to get you."

Maria sighed as she listened to the song that Thea was playing and shook her head. "I know this song...It's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't get it..." She smiled. "Will you sing it for me from where you're at now? Maybe that will help jog my memory."

"_Just when I think I'm under control. I think I finally got a grip. Another friend tells me that, my name is always on your lips. They say I'm more than just a friend, they say I must be blind. Well, I admit that I've seen you watch me from the corner of your eye. Oh, It's so confusing. I wish you'd just confess. But think of what I'd be losing, if your answer wasn't yes." _Thea sang, looking over the top of the piano at the people who were wondering where the music was coming from. Her eyes landed on Glenn who was talking to Mark. _"So complicated I'm so frustrated, I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away. I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay. Should I say it, should I tell you how I feel? Oh I want you to know, but then again I don't, It's so complicated." _  
Maria nodded encouragingly. "Keep singing."

"_Oh, I hate it. 'Cuz I've waited. So long for someone like you. Oh, what do I do? Oh should I say it?Should I tell you how I feel. I want you to know, but then again I don't. It's so complicated. It's so complicated. It's so complicated. Oh…"_

Maria looked like she expected more, but Thea pulled her hands onto her lap. Other people were around and Thea could feel her cheeks burning with color.

_And he doesn't even know that was all about him..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn had heard the piano playing softly in the background of his conversation with Mark. Then he heard the soft words of the song floating through the air. He turned and he saw Thea playing on the piano with Maria. He thought for a moment that her eyes met his, but he quickly looked away. He caught Mark's smirk.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," Glenn ordered with a growl. "It's just a stupid song."

"She's singing for you and you can't even hear it," Mark commented. "She's baring her soul to the world about how she feels and you act like she's not telling you what's in her heart..."

"She's singing a song that could be about anyone," Glenn muttered, glaring at him. "It could be about Stephen for all we know."

"Then why is she looking at you?" Mark asked and Glenn had no answer. "A woman sings when there is no other way to get what she feels out in the open. Thea is singing from her heart, trying to find the right words to tell you that she loves you in the universal language of music. That's all she can do right now because she's waiting for you to come clean about your true feelings for her before she acts out on her own."

"Then she's going to be waiting for a very long time because I'm not going to love her. She deserves better than me and one day she'll wake up with that realization and that will be the end of her stupid crush on me," Glenn hissed. "And I'll never tell her even if she comes to me and spills all of her feelings to me."

"You're a heartless, insensitive jerk," Kari stated, appearing by Mark's side. "Not to mention a scaredy cat."

"What?" Glenn glared down at the small girl.

"You heard me, scaredy cat."

"I am not a 'scaredy cat'," Glenn snarled.

"Prove it," Kari dared. "Go over there and tell Thea how you really feel about her in front of her friends. Tell her everything." She smirked. "Or are you too chicken to do that?"

Glenn scowled at the girl and then looked in the direction of Thea. "I am not a chicken! I am protecting her from -"

"Bull snot!" Kari snapped. "You're leaving her out in the open for other men to scoop up and drag to their cave!"

"You're not protecting her from the worst monsters in the world by hiding your love in silence," Mark commented. "Think of the people who are far more evil than you. They are out there on the prowl and they will find her when she's in a vulnerable state and then the girl that you love could be lost."

Glenn saw Randy standing on the fringe of the people clustered around Thea and Maria and realized that Mark might be right.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: I feel like there is not enough childishness in my stories, so there is always one character to brighten up the story at random moments. It usually ends up being the character that my sister lets me borrow and change at all times...**

**Reviews make the world go round when there is no wrestling on the TV, so please continue to review and give me ideas for conversations between Taker and Thea...**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: YAY! Drew's back! Drew's back! I'm so happy, so here's an update for you that reveals something new about Thea...Enjoy!**

**Warning: This chapter is going to seem rather rushed, but that's the way that it came out of my mind...**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea was still sweating from the extreme regiment of exercises that Glenn put her through an hour ago. Her muscles ached, her head was pounding, but somehow she still managed to keep a smile on her face. All of this training was exhilarating especially since she was making new moves that took her own coach by surprise.

_I guess that explains why he's so grumpy_, Thea thought with a glance over at Glenn.

A clap of thunder made her squeak and jump in the air. She looked out a window in passing and saw that it was storming outside. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as she watched the trees outside bend under the force of the wind. She heard Glenn chuckle at her reaction to the thunder.

"Are you afraid of a little rain?" he asked with a smirk.

"No...I just don't like really bad storms like this," Thea muttered, hugging herself. "They never lead to anything good." She frowned. "Except the occasional rainbow..."

"It's going to blow over soon," Glenn told her, pressing the button to summon the elevator. "Until then, you can go to your room and hide under your blankets."  
Thea punched him in the arm. "Don't you make fun of me for something that thousands of people are uneasy about! I went through a flood because of a storm like this, so excuse me for being uneasy! Jerk."

She saw the hint of hurt in his eyes and looked away. It wasn't her goal to hurt Glenn, but no one got away with making fun of her without some kind of payback. Glenn would survive with a little bruise to his ego. He'd probably just brush it off easily and move on like he'd never had the conversation.

The two stepped into the elevator and watched the doors close. Thea leaned back against the back wall of the elevator and closed her eyes.

_Alone in an elevator with Glenn...How many times have I been in the same situation and have done nothing about it? I could have told him a long time ago how I felt about him and maybe things would be different... _She smirked. _We could have made some of the elevator rides rather...interesting._

There was a deafening clap of thunder and the elevator shuddered and went still. Thea opened her eyes to find the elevator completely dark. Fear welled up inside of her and she reached out and pressed the button to make the elevator move again. Nothing happened.

"Oh God!" she gasped and then she looked around in the darkness. "Glenn?"

"I'm still here," Glenn's voice came out from within the darkness.

"What happened?"

"The power must have went out."

"Oh God!" Thea pressed the button frantically but the elevator wouldn't move. "Oh God no!"

"What's wrong?" Glenn asked, concern on the edge of his voice.

"I-I can't do this!" Thea cried, pulling her cell phone out. "I-I can't!"

With clumsy fingers, she dialed the phone and held it against her ear. The phone rang once. Twice. Then he picked up with a friendly 'hello', but Thea was in no mood for friendliness.

"Stephen! Help!" Thea cried, looking around at the small enclosed area as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Help me!"

"What's wrong lass?" Stephen demanded, sounding concerned. "Is someone messing with you or-?"

"The power's out and I'm trapped in an elevator!" Thea exclaimed, cutting him off. "It's only been a few minutes and it's already so hot in here! The walls...Stephen please help!"

"I'll go to the front desk and tell them about the elevator," Stephen promised, his voice taking on a calming tone. "Thea, calm down...Focus on breathing."

How could she focus on breathing when the walls seemed to be closing in on her? Thea's heart was racing and she could hear it pounding in her ears.

"Stephen!"

"Lass, calm down...Tell me, is there anyone in the elevator with you?"

Thea looked across the elevator at Glenn. He was watching her with concern in his eyes. "Y-yeah. Glenn..."

"Pass your phone over to him for a moment," Stephen ordered calmly and Thea heard a door close in the background.

"Okay..."

She held the phone out to Glenn and watched him take it. Her hands, now free of the phone, flew over the buttons of the elevator in a desperate attempt to make it move.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn took the phone and watched Thea press buttons with soft sobs coming from her throat. He had no clue what was wrong with her and hopefully Stephen would tell him.

"Hello," he said, pressing the phone against his ear.

"Glenn, you have to get her to calm down," Stephen stated, getting straight to the point. "Before she hurts herself."

"What's wrong with her?" Glenn asked. "Is she afraid of the dark?"

"No. She loves the dark." Stephen told the older man. "What she doesn't love is enclosed spaces."

"She's claustrophobic?"

"Yes and elevators are the things she hates most of all..." He sighed. "It would be easier if I were there to help her because she usually gets really upset when she's forced into any enclosed space."

Glenn winced when he heard Thea's fist collide with the metal elevator wall. Her sobs were growing louder and it made his heart clench painfully to know that she was so scared.

"She's really upset right now," Glenn told the Irish man.

"Well, you're going to have to find some way to help calm her down," Stephen stated. "Think with your heart and help her out if you really love her. I don't want her to get hurt because of your fear of showing anyone love. Help her."

With that the phone went dead and Glenn held the phone out to Thea. She took it back and stuffed it in the waistband of her pants.

"Oh God, get me out of here!" she cried, kicking the wall. "Please! I don't like this! I don't like this! Please get me out of here!"

"Thea, calm down," Glenn said, approaching her slowly. "You need to calm down. Stephen's gone to get help."

Thea looked at him with tears streaming down her face. "Glenn...I can't calm down! The walls! They're closing in on me and – and! Oh God, get me out of here!"

She went over to the doors and tried prying them open. They didn't budge and Thea fell against them, crying. Glenn's heart broke at the sight of her and he reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and pulled her shirt off, exposing her undershirt.

"It's – it's too hot in here!" Thea tossed her shirt aside and tried prying the doors open. "Can anyone hear me? We're stuck in the elevator! Get us out of here! Please! Anyone, please help!"

"Thea, calm down," Glenn ordered, grabbing her and pulling her away from the doors. "People are going to come and they will get the doors open. We just have to be patient."

Thea stared up at him, her eyes swimming with tears that fell down her cheeks unchecked. "I'm – I'm scared! Make them come faster! Before the elevator falls and we both die!"

"We're not going to die," Glenn assured her, holding her close as he sat down. "We're going to make it out of this and you're going to kick your opponent's ass on Friday. You just need to calm down."

He felt her body trembling against his and stroked her back soothingly. She seemed to be calming down after a few minutes because she wasn't rambling in a hysteric way anymore.

"That's right," he urged. "Focus on breathing."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then another. Her body still trembled but her breath didn't hitch anymore with the lessening sobs. Glenn continued to rub her back and tried to think of a way to keep her calm.

"Talk to me," Thea whispered, opening her eyes. "About anything. Just talk to me."

Glenn hesitated, looking at her. Her eyes were still wet with unshed tears, but he was sure that she was done crying. "How is your father?"

"He's doing good. He was shot in the leg a few days ago," Thea muttered, resting her head against his chest. "Dad said it wasn't too bad, that the doctors got it out before it got infected, but they're sending him home for awhile...I think he's going to have to retire soon because he's getting a bit old and can't really do what he used to do as easily anymore..."

"How old is he?"

"He's forty-eight years old, but he thinks he's still in his twenties." She let out a nervous giggle. "You should have seen some of the things he did that nearly landed him in the emergency room...It's amazing that he hasn't been seriously injured yet, but I guess he has luck on his side...unlike me." She touched his free hand. "You know, my dad really likes your in-ring persona."

"He does?"

"Yeah, he roots for Kane every time he gets to see you on the television." Thea sighed. "It didn't matter if you were on an evil rampage or if you were doing some good, he rooted for you and he still does whenever he gets to watch a TV...He was absolutely ecstatic once he found out that I was going to be mentored and managed by you. I guess he thinks that maybe I'll introduce you to him and get you to give him a million autographs which I would have done even if you weren't my mentor."

"So I'm his favorite wrestler?"

"Yeah, followed closely by the Undertaker. But I think he's only watching the show these days to see the Divas. Don't get me wrong, he likes the violence of the matches you boys do, but there's something about the looks of the Divas that just...makes him a man."

Glenn chuckled. She continued to ramble on and on about how her father loved wrestling and how he was proud of her for getting accepted into the WWE.

_She's obviously calmed down enough to talk normally_, Glenn thought, but he didn't want to let her go.

Holding her like this in her moment of weakness, protecting her from her fears, felt right to Glenn. Just sitting there in the dark, talking with her felt normal. It was something that he could see himself doing over and over again without losing this feeling.

_I'm so lost in her that I don't think I'd be myself without her_, Glenn mused, resting his head back against the wall of the elevator.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea didn't know how long they sat in the elevator, but she really didn't care anymore. It was hot and it was dark and she could feel the fear lurking inside of her, but she felt safe in Glenn's arms. He continued to rub her back soothingly and she had to admit that it felt good as well as it kept her calm.

_This is how it's supposed to be_, she thought, her eyes meeting his as she pulled away a little. _The two of us together, just being together like it's the most natural thing in the world. That's all I need in the world and all I need to know is if he really does love me or if it's all part of the Viper and Kane charade._

She opened her mouth to ask a question, but she saw the look in Glenn's eyes. A burning need and hunger was there and she hadn't noticed it before. Glenn reached up and cupped her face with one of his huge hands. Thea's eyes fluttered closed as he kissed her with a tenderness she didn't expect. The kiss kept going on, growing more passionate as it continued and Thea felt like she couldn't get enough. She wrapped her arms around Glenn, pulling herself closer to him, and kissed him back with as much passion as she could muster.

_Oh my God! Is this really happening?_

Joy welled up inside Thea as Glenn's lips moved from her lips, creating a line of white hot kisses down her neck. His hands smoothed up her back, dragging her spaghetti strap shirt up. Thea's arms slid up, letting him pull the shirt over her head and watched him toss it aside before he captured her lips again in a hungry kiss.

"Thea," Stephen's voice broke in through the darkness. "Thea?"

Thea's eyes snapped open and she winced at the bright light coming from someone's flashlight that was pointed at her face. "Stephen?"

"Lass, are you okay?" Stephen asked, peering through the doors of the elevator that someone was prying open.

Thea looked around and saw Glenn watching her. He wasn't holding her anymore and her undershirt was in its correct position. She realized with a start that she had been dreaming. The kissing that made her melt into Glenn's arms was all part of a dream. A very cruel dream.

Thea nodded and ran a hand through her hair. The fear that had settled in the bottom of her stomach was gone. She looked over and saw that Glenn's eyes were soft in the darkness as he looked at her.

"Can we get out now?" she asked, pushing herself onto her knees.

Stephen shook his head. "You're stuck halfway between one floor and another," he explained, smacking the ground that he was laying on. "I'd say that if you had some help, you could climb out because you're so little..."

Thea jumped when she felt someone move behind her. It was just Glenn.

"I'll lift you out," he told her.

"And leave you alone in here?" Thea shook her head. "I couldn't do that."

Kari's head popped in the space next to Stephen's. "Listen you! This is no time for you to sacrifice your tough guy image by subjecting yourself to more torture. I know you're afraid of enclosed spaces and we have no clue when the power is going to be restored, so if you chose to stay in there until the power gets back on, you could be scarred forever." Her face scrunched up. "And Glenn is already making the place stinky, so get out while the getting is good Thea."

The purple haired phenom shook her head again and pushed herself to her feet. "I'm not leaving him alone."

"The doors are moving," someone grunted and Thea thought it was Mark.

"Listen lass, make up your mind," Stephen said. "Do you want to stay in there or do you want to be out here where there's wide open spaces? Get you a nice glass of water...What do you say?"

Thea looked at Glenn and shook her head. "I'm staying in here until the power gets turned back on."

Kari growled and her hand shot into the elevator, clawing the air for Thea's hair. "You are coming out of there, right now!"

Thea stepped back to avoid the clawing fingers of her friend. "Kari, I'm staying. Get over it."

Kari pulled a face and pointed a finger at Glenn. "You better keep your hands off of her! She's cute, but she's not yours yet. So keep off!" With that, the blonde pulled herself out view and Thea heard retreating footsteps.

_Not his yet, but I do want to be and you know that Kari_, Thea thought with a frown as Stephen's face vanished for a moment. _You have to trust in me and believe that everything will turn out all right in the end..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn was surprised as he listened to Thea tell her friends that she was going to stay in the dark elevator with him. After all the crying and rambling she had done when first forced to stay in the elevator, she was volunteering to stay and keep him company. He liked the idea of spending more time with her, but he didn't want her to have nightmares.

But she didn't look or sound scared as she took the water bottles from Stephen. "Just get the power back on and we'll be fine," she told the Irish man. "I'll be wanting some major comfort food when I get out."

"I'll be sure to run out and get you some chocolate ice cream," Stephen promised before his eyes turned to Glenn. "Glenn, you keep her safe."

Glenn shielded his eyes from the light as it rolled in his direction. "I will."

"The doors -" someone grunted and Glenn could see the doors starting to close again. "Stephen move!"

Stephen vanished, the doors closing with a hollow metallic sound. The small area grew dark again until Thea pulled her cell phone back out and let that small light source brighten the elevator. She held out a water bottle as she sat back down on the floor. Glenn took the bottle and sat across from her.

"Why did you do it?" he asked, breaking the silence.

The bottle that had been halfway to her lips was lowered once more. "Do what?"

"Why did you chose to stay?" Glenn demanded.

"I wasn't about to leave you alone in the dark in a place like this," Thea told him quietly. "You don't need to be trapped like some caged animal...It wouldn't have been right of me to leave while you're stuck in here for God knows how much longer...It wouldn't have been fair."

"Save the women and children first," Glenn muttered.

"That's a stupid rule," Thea stated. "Save the children, but men and women should be considered equal. A lot of people could have been saved on the Titanic if we had allowed everyone to get on a life boat. And if something bad had happened to you if I left you alone in here, I'd never forgive myself."

"Nothing bad is going to happen."

"I said 'if' and believe me, that's bad enough on a person's conscience." She glanced at her cell phone, it's pale light lighting her face up like she had a holy glow. "We've only been in here for a few hours, so we probably won't have to wait long." She glanced up. "I don't hear anymore thunder, so I guess it's safe to say that the storm is over. Now as long as the cable doesn't give out, we'll be fine."  
Glenn stared at her. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you left, even if something bad did happen. You were scared..."

"Everyone has to face their fears at one point in their life. And when they do, they can either run from it or they can try to overcome it." Thea rested her head back against the wall of the elevator. "Being here with you in this elevator for so long...I don't know. It's kind of helped me face my fear of being in enclosed spaces. If I'm ever allowed to get into a cage match, this experience might help me stay focused on the match instead of the walls that seem to be closing in on me..."

Glenn saw how she shuddered at the thought. Part of him expected her to start being hysterical again, but he watched her take a deep breath and let it out slowly. She remained calm which surprised Glenn, showing the strength of her willpower.

Thea stared at him from across the elevator and Glenn thought he could see sadness and disappointment in her eyes. He'd noticed it before when Stephen showed up, waking her up from her nap.

_Whatever she was dreaming, it must have been really good for her to still be disappointed about it_, Glenn thought, breaking eye contact.

"Do you think Mark's happy with Kari?" she asked suddenly. "And that he really loves her?"

Glenn shrugged. "He wouldn't have agreed to date her if he didn't feel something for her."  
"A serious man falls in love with a happy little rebel, who is so much shorter than him...I guess anything is possible in this sport..." Her eyes sought his again. "I'm sure you'll find someone to love..." Her cell phone rang. "It's Mark."

"Then you better answer it."

Thea pressed a button on the phone. "What do you want Mark?"

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT ME!" Kari's voice filled the small area. "I MAY BE LITTLE AND I MAY NOT LOOK LIKE MUCH OF A THREAT, BUT I DO KNOW HOW TO BRING THE PAIN DOWN ON SOMEONE!"

"Kari, what are you doing with Mark's phone?" Thea asked, pretending not to have been yelled at.

"That...is none of your business," Kari said, not shouting this time. "And if you think you can get away with talking about me, you've got another thing coming!"

"How do you know we're talking about you?"

"My ears were burning and I was sneezing...I just know it was you two. And if you don't watch it, I'll reveal one of your secrets to the other person in that cramped elevator," Kari threatened. "That teeny tiny elevator that's trapped in space with no light or air conditioning...the walls that seem to be getting closer and closer..."

Glenn realized what Kari was trying to do and decided to put a stop to it. "Kari, knock it off or I will convince the right people to set up a no disqualification match between you and me and then you'll suffer."

Kari was silent for a moment. "Thea...Why didn't you tell me that you had me on speaker phone? Do you want me to get killed by the Big Red Monster?"

Thea laughed. "No Kari. I was just expecting Mark and thought that he'd want to check up on me and Glenn. So really, it's your own fault."

Kari muttered something inaudible. "I hope you're stuck in there with smelly Glenn all night Thea Lei Andrews!"

The phone went dead again and Thea sighed. "I love you too..."

Glenn tried to look nonchalant as he sniffed his skin. Unfortunately Thea caught him and laughed.

"You don't stink," she said with a small smile. "Kari's just being...Kari."

"Oh."

Thea sighed and set her phone aside. "So...Do you want to talk some more?"  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea winced when the lights came back on, noticing that there was a slight hum coming from the electronics now that they were on. And she could feel the air getting cooler. She looked at Glenn with a frown. "The power's back on."

It was an obvious thing and she realized that it probably made her seem stupid to say it, but it was too late to take it back. She shrugged and climbed to her feet, pressing the button to make the elevator go up and grabbed her shirt off the floor. Her legs felt a little weak when the elevator started moving, but it only lasted as long as the short ride up to the right level.

The first person she saw when the doors opened was Stephen and she jumped into his arms. "Did you miss me?"

"Yes," Stephen said, setting her back on her feet once he gave her a bone crushing hug. "Don't you ever get stuck in an elevator again."

"I'll try not to." Thea promised, turning to look at Glenn as he stepped out of the elevator. "Hey Glenn?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

"Thanks...for helping me in there," Thea said with a smile.

"That's what friends do," Glenn muttered, walking away.

Thea stared after him, remembering the dream. Stephen draped an arm around her shoulders, earning her attention once more.

"Did you and Glenn do anything that I should know about in there?" Stephen asked, watching the taller man walk away.

"No. We talked after I had a panic attack. That's all we did." Thea told him, slipping an arm around his waist. "Unless he did something really fast when I fell asleep for that short time period, then I'm pretty sure that nothing interesting happened."

"Did he tell you anything that's life changing?"

"What?"  
"Did either of you finally admit that you love each other?"

Thea shook her head with a sigh. "We talked about everything and everyone, but we never talked about ourselves or what we felt inside...I should have told him, but..."

"You couldn't muster up the courage?" Stephen suggested, leading her down another hall.

"Yeah...And being without him is just making me more insane. I actually dreamed about him when I was stuck in that elevator."

"Really? What did you do in said dream?"

"Kiss."

"And what else?"

"Nothing. But I don't think that's going to be the case for much longer if I don't get this pressure of my chest..." Thea sighed again. "I'm going to have to tell him sometime...and soon."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Okay, we're getting closer to the big 'I love you' scene, but it's still not going to happen for a long while. And I know getting stuck in an elevator probably doesn't happen for five or six hours at a time, but this was the worst case scenario. Had to happen. And sorry for that scene where something didn't really happen...I had to tease you.**

**As always, please review. And don't be afraid to tell me what you really think. I like criticism in moderation and flames keep me warm at night while my harem of men fight for my attention.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I am sorry about that last chapter, making you all get excited about a kiss that didn't happen. But trust me, there's a kiss in the near future to make up for that fake one... But until then, you're going to have to deal with wise words from two knowledgeable men...Enjoy!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane wasn't waiting for Thea to come down the ramp like he usually did. This time, he walked down it with her, glaring at her opponent as he walked. 'Dashing' Cody Rhodes didn't look very intimidated as he paced in the ring, that cheesy smile on his face. Kane's eyes scanned the area, looking for Jack Swagger who had developed a habit of showing up at Cody's matches and Kane wasn't going to have someone else join the fight against his rookie.

Thea moved away from him, hitting the hands of the fans that reached out to her. He saw the signs that fans had made for him and Thea, asking for another kiss to happen between the two. She seemed to only read them and dismiss them with the same glance.

At ringside, she looked at him before flipping into the ring. Kane walked over to the side and watched her wave to someone in the crowd. That man was dressed in an army shirt and looked familiar, but Kane couldn't place the face with a name.

Unlike her usual practice of shaking hands with her opponents before the bell rang, Thea simply glared at Cody and waited for the bell to ring. Kane watched her dodge one of Cody's attacks and only to deliver a punch that knocked the man to the ground.

_She's in no mood to play games_, Kane thought with a frown as he watched Thea's assault on Cody. _She wants to get this match over with as soon as possible without sustaining much damage because she knows that Swagger could be anywhere..._

His eyes scanned the area again, looking for the blonde. Again, he saw no one suspicious and turned back to the match. Thea was on the ground and Cody was going for the pin, but Thea got a shoulder up and pushed Cody off of her.

Kane watched Thea force Cody to back up into a corner where she then grabbed his head in a headlock and ran up the ropes, doing a flip that knocked Cody onto the ground, rubbing his neck. Her assault wasn't done though. She climbed onto the top rope and did an elbow drop that connected with Cody's stomach.

_She needs to go for the pin or do a submission hold_, Kane thought, watching her kick Cody in the side. _Rhodes isn't going to take this kind of assault for much longer..._

Thea seemed to be thinking the exact same thing because she let Cody get to his feet before putting him in the Viper Pit submission hold. Cody's face grew red as pressure built up in several areas of his body. A satisfied smirk was on Thea's face as she shifted her hold, increasing the pressure on Cody's slim body. The man only had one hand free and the ref kept asking him if he wanted to give up. Kane had to give the boy credit for lasting so long in the submission hold, knowing that the Viper Pit was extremely painful and if done incorrectly, Thea would be feeling some pain too.

Cody's eyes met Kane's and Kane glared back at him. Thea muttered something that Kane couldn't hear over the sound of the crowd cheering and that seemed to be the end of Cody's torture. He smacked the mat repeatedly and Thea released him quickly. Just as she got to her feet, Swagger showed up and attacked her from behind.

Kane's eyes narrowed and he climbed into the ring, advancing on the man. Swagger came at him and Kane caught him by the throat. Swagger put up a fight, but Kane hoisted him up and dropped him on the ground in a Choke Slam. Thea finished Cody off when the man tried to sneak up on Kane, sending him flying over the ropes and onto the floor.

"Todd, I think the Viper has stepped up her game tonight," Matt commented.

"She's definitely trying to live up to the high expectations of the Big Red Monster," Todd agreed.

Kane tuned them out as Thea walked up to him. With a small smile, she brushed her hand lightly over his stomach as she walked past him, leaving goosebumps in its wake. She slipped out of the ring and started up the ramp with him following her so closely. Her hips swayed and Kane felt something rise up in him, but he fought against the feeling and simply wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Backstage, they both ended up laughing when they saw that Kari had Cody in a headlock. Well, Thea laughed and he just smirked. Kari smiled back and punched Cody in the gut before releasing him.

"Careful Cody," she said. "Or I'll be _dashing_ you into a bunch of little pieces."  
Cody smirked and walked off. "We'll see about that Kari."

Kari snickered and seemed to only just realize that he and Thea were standing there. "Thea, did I see who I thought I saw out in the crowd?"  
Thea nodded with a bright smile on her face. "You did."  
"Who did you see?" Kane demanded.

"My father," Thea said, slipping out from under his arm. "And he'll be wanting to see you." With that, she walked off with Kari, leaving Kane alone.  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea couldn't wait for the show to be over with for the night. She bounced on her feet as she waited backstage for the person she hadn't seen in months. When he came, she let out a cheer and jumped on him like she was a kid all over again. It didn't matter that the man was on crutches because he dropped them and held her in his arms with a big smile plastered on his face.

"Daddy!" Thea exclaimed, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I've missed you!"

Her father laughed and set her down. Thea reached down and picked up the crutches, handing them to him. He situated them under his arms and took the weight off his hurt leg. Thea stepped back and looked at him. His dark hair was streaked with silver and there were traces of wrinkles at the corners of his blue eyes. Thea smiled at him, glad to see that he was healthy and whole.

"So, this is where you work?" her father asked, looking around. "Nice place."

"If you say so," Thea said, looking around as people packed things up.

"Don't tell me you don't like it here..."

"I prefer being in the ring instead of backstage," Thea muttered, rubbing her arm.

"You love being in front of an audience," he commented with a smile. "Just like you did when you were a little girl, performing little skits and monologues in front of the family after dinner. Or is it because back here there are walls and out there, the area seems to go forever?"

"Yes."  
It was was an answer that could go with everything her father said. She liked being in front of an audience and she didn't like so many walls closing her in and her dad knew that.

"You performed well tonight," he said after a moment of silence. "I knew you were good after seeing you practice all those years, but I didn't know you could handle fighting boys like that."

"You always told me not to let the boys get away with messing with me, so that's exactly what I do every time I step into that ring." She smirked. "I've made most of the boys respect me because of the beat down I give them."  
"And have you been a good sport about your losses?"

"Not really. The times I've lost to Nick and others who I really don't like...let's just say I haven't been very forgiving about them..." She shrugged. "I guess I'm just like you when it comes to losing..."

"I guess so." He looked at her with a serious expression on his face. "When were you going to tell me that you were in love with Kane?"

"Dad, I told you about the storyline ages ago and -"

"That's not what I'm talking about Thea. I'm talking about behind the scenes, when everyone steps back into reality...When were you going to tell me that you fell in love with the man who calls himself Kane?"  
"Never." Thea glanced around nervously and pulled him aside. "Dad, how do you know how I feel about him already? Have you been talking to Stephen and Drew again without my knowledge?"

"I've been watching the two of you for weeks," her dad said. "I know when someone is really in love with someone else and you two have the telltale signs of a brewing love story."

"Couldn't you just assume that we have really good acting skills?"

"I could but then I'd be lying to myself and to you." He smiled. "You shouldn't be embarrassed about this...I'm happy you've finally found someone decent to love...I mean, I can't have you chasing after a love that was lost with -"  
"Hi Glenn," Thea said, noticing the man coming their way. "Glenn, this is my father, Markus Andrews. Dad, this is your favorite wrestler, Glenn Jacobs."

There was only a couple of inches difference between the heights of the two men, something that made her feel lousy about her height, even though she was taller than most girls.

_Gee, I wish I was one inch taller_, Thea thought bitterly. _People who are six feet and up seem more intimidating and cooler than tiny people...Except for Rey, he's the exception to the rule..._

"It's an honor to meet the man that's taking my daughter under his wing, Mr. Jacobs," Markus said, holding his hand out.

"Thanks," Glenn mumbled, shaking the man's hand. "It's an honor to meet the man who created her..."

Markus looked at Thea again. "Have I ever told you that I like this guy?"

"Only a million times," Thea said, shaking her head with a small smile. She looked at Glenn apologetically. "He's really the prime example of a number one fan. He has posters, shirts, desktop backgrounds, ring tones, and anything he can get his hands on that's Kane related. But what he doesn't have is a photo with you or an autograph from you."

"That can change," Markus commented, pulling a camera out of his jacket. "You don't mind if I get a photo with you, Mr. Jacobs?"

"It's Glenn," Glenn muttered. "And I don't see why it'd be problem."

Markus held the camera out to Thea and leaned his crutches against the wall. "Would you take the photo Thea?"

"Dad, you really should use your crutches," Thea said, thinking about his leg.

"I'll be fine." He stepped next to Glenn and put on a smile.

Thea sighed and turned the camera on. "Smile..."

There was a flash and the photo appeared on the display of the camera. With an approving nod, Thea handed the camera back to her father. He nodded in approval as well and stowed the camera back in his pocket.He pulled out a small book that was full of autographs from presidents, actors, and comedians that he had collected over the years and pulled out a pen.

Glenn took them and scribbled his name down on one of the blanks pages. Thea smiled at him and mouthed 'thank you' before she was grabbed from behind and lifted off the ground. She turned her head and saw that it was just Drew with Stephen lurking off to the side.

"Hello boys," she said once her feet touched ground again. "What's up?"

"Mark wants to see you," Drew announced with a wave in Markus' direction. "He sounded serious about it too."

"Great..." Thea looked at her dad. "Dad, I'm going to have to leave you alone with the boys for awhile. There's someone I have to meet with."

"Go ahead honey," Markus said, waving her off. "Go see what the Undertaker wants to say and be sure to listen to him. He usually has something very wise to say..."

"Uh-huh...Can I trust you three boys to make sure my father stays out of trouble and gets the photographs and autographs that he wants before everyone clears out?" Thea asked, looking at the other three men.

"Actually, we just popped by to drop off the message and see if your father is going to stick around town for awhile..." Stephen said.

"I'll be in town for a couple more days," Markus said. "We'll have plenty of time to catch up."

Stephen nodded and walked off with Drew. Thea looked at Glenn.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Glenn promised.

"Thanks." She turned and walked off down another hall. "Behave Dad."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn led Markus around the backstage area, letting him collect autographs and snap photos with the superstars of the wrestling community. He didn't seem to have any real preferences of who he was talking to, he'd just walk up and ask for an autograph and a photo. No one really turned him down once they found out who he was and Glenn had to wonder how many people really did respect the man who had created the girl he was falling in love with.

"So, how's my daughter doing in her training?" Markus asked as the two men walked down a hall. "Is she being obedient or is she being a little rebel?"

"She does what I tell her to do, but sometimes she adds her own little twist to it," Glenn muttered, not really wanting to talk about Thea, but knowing it wasn't his place to change the subject with a concerned father. "No matter how dangerous it gets."

"That's my girl, always thinking she's invincible..." Markus shook his head. "You'd think after that match she'd realize that she has limitations, but I guess she hasn't...I wish she hadn't inherited that little trait from me...I don't want to see my baby girl get seriously hurt again..."

The images of Thea beaten and bloody flashed before Glenn's eyes and he shook his head. "I won't let her participate in a match like that again. There were rules put in place -"

Markus chuckled. "You think rules are going to keep her from participating in an extreme rules match? Thea is always breaking rules and making people reinvent the rules she can't break...How do you think she got to the point that she was allowed to wrestle men professionally?"

"She'll listen to me."

"I can believe that," Markus commented with a smirk as he looked at Glenn. "Thea seems to have taken a liking to you."

"I've noticed."  
"You've noticed? And have you done anything about it?"

"Sir, I'm too old for her. I'm a monster and...She'll find someone else," Glenn mumbled, looking away.

"I see..." Markus frowned. "It seems like the past is repeating itself..."

"What do you mean?" Glenn asked.

"When Thea was thirteen, she had a crush on a boy who was sixteen," Markus explained. "He liked her too, but he wouldn't tell her. He thought that she was too young for him and that he would make her goals for the future change, but that didn't mean he didn't return her friendship. They would hang out all the time and he'd help her with her wrestling. He's the reason one of her submission holds is called 'Cobra 9'."

"Why?"

"Well, he showed her the move and it took her 9 times to get it down right." He sighed. "They were always together and there was never a night that she went to bed without a smile on her face. But then he was in a car accident on the way to our place on her fifteenth birthday and things changed."

Glenn's eyes narrowed. "How?"

Markus shook his head with another sigh. "Thea was the last person to see him alive at the hospital. After a few days of nonstop crying, she told me what had happened in the hospital room. She told me that he had woken up just for her and had told her the thing that he had been afraid to tell her the whole time. He told her that he had always loved her on his deathbed and that he wanted her to be the best Diva in history... and then it was all over..."

Glenn frowned as his mind raced with the words that Markus had said. He didn't really see how the present was repeating the past based on the story. Thea had been close to the age of that boy and they were always together, but Glenn wasn't always with Thea and he was over twenty years older than her.

"Glenn, if you like my daughter, age shouldn't matter to you. Don't make her suffer like she did when she lost her first love because that's where you're heading. If you think she's going to be around until you're on your deathbed and then you decide to tell her the truth, you're dead wrong. I won't let her find out then because then it'll be too late and I don't want her to be driven to the edge where she'll do something insane. Tell her soon or walk out of her life."

"Walk out of her life?" The thought was almost unbearable. "I can't do that. She's my rookie and-"

"Someone could always win her in a match," Markus pointed out. "And she won't be your rookie for much longer. As soon as the McMahon's decide it's time, she'll get a real manager and she'll be on her own..."

Glenn knew that it was going to happen one day. One day, he'd be faced with the event of Thea leaving his teaching and moving on in her career and inside he hoped that it would take forever in coming. To be without seeing her everyday...

"I'll tell her..." Glenn muttered, his voice low and his eyes not meeting Markus'.

"I'm not expecting you to tell her today, maybe not even tomorrow, but I want you to tell her before you lose her," Markus said. "You'll see one day that love from my daughter can be an amazing thing and hopefully, you'll cherish it more than her last boyfriend did."

Glenn nodded and followed Markus as the man hobbled down the hall towards a group of wrestlers. If he ever gave into his true feelings for Thea, he knew he was going to cherish every loving moment with her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea knocked on the door to the Undertaker's private locker room, thinking about how she'd get one for herself one day. The doorknob turned and Kari walked out of it with a small smile on her face. Thea stepped back, unsure if she should walk into the room.

"Go on in," Kari said, running a hand through her hair before putting it in a ponytail. "Mark's waiting for you...and he doesn't look happy."

"Great..." Thea took a deep breath and stepped into the locker room, hearing Kari close it behind her.

Mark beckoned her forward with one hand and slid his cellphone into the pocket of his jeans. Thea hesitated a moment before crossing the room to stand a few feet away from him. She shoved her hands in her pockets and tried to look casual, but a look from Mark told her that he wasn't convinced.

"You don't have to be afraid or uncomfortable around me," Mark told her, his eyes seeing through her. "I did not ask for your presence to condemn you or to yell at you. I just want to talk."

"In private?"

"Yes."

"Usually when an older man asks to talk with me in private, a lecture follows," Thea muttered, frowning. "And before you give me a lecture about anything, I'd just like to point out that I haven't done anything bad at all this week. Unless you count rigging Michelle's makeup to explode in her face...then I only did _one _bad thing this week."

"I'm not here to lecture you about simple pranks amongst our coworkers," Mark said and Thea thought she saw the hint of a smile on his face. "I want to talk to you about Glenn."

"Oh." Thea sighed. "Why does it seem like everyone wants to talk about Glenn with me these days? Can't you just leave me alone about him?"

"Not when I have to watch him suffer like he does," Mark said.

"Suffer?" Thea's eyes widened. "Am I making him suffer?"

Mark shook his head. "You're not doing it. He's doing it to himself because he won't give into his true feelings. He never was good at expressing more than anger and I know you've seen that in all of the time you've spent with him."

"I don't know... He's always seemed nice to me and to the people he's talked to. And I have seen him mad...or seen the results of his anger..." She frowned as the image of a bloody Mike flashed before her eyes. "And it's not pretty."

Mark watched her sit down in the chair that was across from him before speaking. "Glenn's recovering from a broken marriage that ended very badly. He can't let go of the past and the things his ex-wife said about him have unfortunately stuck with him like parasites in his mind. She called him 'monster', 'unfeeling', 'undeserving'', 'demon', 'unwanted'...and other names that I'd prefer not repeat in front of a lady."

Thea wasn't eager to press him for the names, knowing that she couldn't stomach hearing them about Glenn. "But he's not..."

"His friends know that he is not, but he won't see it through our eyes because he's still seeing it through _her_ eyes. I know how hard it is to move on after a divorce. I know that what our significant others say will stick with us for a very long time, but I also know that you should never see yourself through their eyes once they severe ties with you. Glenn hasn't figured that out yet and he won't listen to anyone that tries to convince him otherwise."

"Not even you?"

"Not even me."

"Oh..." Thea bit her bottom lip, thinking. "Do you think that he might listen to me?"

"Ever since you came, something has been changing in Glenn. His emotions are rearing their heads and stirring deep in his soul, but he's doing everything he can to suppress them. He doesn't want to feel again because of everything he's been through. Glenn feels like if he shows love, he'll end up exactly where he ended up with his last relationship – hurt and confused, a shadow of the man he once was..." He stared her straight in the eye. "Glenn is in love with you."

"Then why isn't he telling me it himself?" Thea asked, crossing her arms.

"He doesn't want to be hurt again."

"If he told me, I wouldn't hurt him...I'd be happy."

"He's not going to risk it. He doesn't want you to wake up one day and see him as a monster..."

"But he's not a monster. I've never thought of him as a monster and he could never make me think of him as one."

"If you would tell him this to his face, he might believe you. I know you love him, but he believes that it is simply a crush."

"It's not." Thea sighed. "But I can't tell him that I love him."

"Why not?"

"I'm a traditionalist when it comes to a relationship...Guys make the first move or no moves are going to be made."

"Then you will never have Glenn," Mark stated, making Thea look at him in alarm. "Yes...If you do not confess your true feelings to Glenn and show him that you really do care for him, then you could lose him forever..."

"But he's my mentor and -"

"He won't be involved in your career for the complete duration of it. Soon, you and Kari will be on your own and then only one of you will have a guaranteed future with your assigned mentors. Unless you -"

"Tell Glenn everything," Thea finished for him. A half smile pulled at her lips. "If I do that...maybe I'll get the happily ever after I've been denied once before..."

Mark didn't ask any questions about her statement. It was like he already knew what she was talking about, even though she had never told anyone about it except her father. She liked that about Mark because it spared her the tears that would come with reliving the past.

"You will get your happily ever after in the end," Mark agreed. "But a love between the two of you won't be an easy one with the parasites of his ex-wife still lurking inside him. You will have to work through it day by day until everything is as it should be..."

Thea sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She wished she had known this all sooner, so she could have told Glenn before she had fallen this deep.

_All of those missed opportunities and for what? A stupid rule set up by my stupid mind back in my childhood_, Thea thought. _I could be helping Glenn right now and be showing him love, but..._

_Who am I kidding? I wouldn't have plucked up the courage to tell him because I've always been a coward. I've never been able to tell anyone that I love them...Not Damon...and now Glenn? Why am I such a coward when it comes to the phrase 'I love you'?_

Mark startled her by placing his large hand on her knee. "You be able to do it when it feels right..."

Thea was about to ask him about what he meant when Kari's scream of 'yay' came from outside the door. The door opened and Kari came in on the back of Markus with Glenn in tow. Thea's eyebrow quirked up and she crossed her arms.

"Will you be my new daddy?" Kari asked Markus, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I could be your incredibly short daughter..."

"Sure." Markus said with a small smile. "What do you think Thea?"

"I..."

"She likes the idea," Kari said, cutting across Thea. "So from now on, I am Kari Andrews." She jumped from Markus' back and made her way over to Mark. "Hey Mark."

"Kari, we were talking," Mark pointed out, gesturing at Thea.

"You were done talking," Kari replied, leaning against a wall. "Thea was starting to get a little too awkward, so I decided to come in and save her. Besides, her father needs to get your autograph and a photo. Mark meet Markus."

Thea didn't watch or pay attention to her father as he and Mark exchange pleasantries. Her eyes locked on Glenn, even though he never looked at her. Her heart ached as her mind raced with the words that his ex-wife had used to describe him.

_He's not a monster..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn could feel someone's eyes on him as Kari took a photo of Markus and Mark. He knew that it was Thea and he refused to let himself look at her. It wasn't the time to tell her everything he'd been keeping hidden from her. He felt that he'd know when that time came and then he'd tell her everything she needed to hear from him.

_Just be patient Thea..._he thought, stealing a quick glance in her direction. _It's not going to be like this forever..._

"Dad, we should get going," Thea muttered, standing up. "You probably didn't eat dinner and I'm kind of hungry..."

"Don't let us keep you," Kari said, her hand linked with Mark's. "Thea gets very moody when she doesn't have something in her stomach."

"I do not!" Thea snapped, smacking Kari on the arm. "Thanks for the talk, Mark. Dad, let's go."

Markus hobbled out ahead of her, Glenn holding the door open for him. Thea paused next to him and met his eyes. There was a sadness in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Thea..."

Thea wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his chest. "Goodnight Glenn."

Glenn looked down at her in surprise, wondering if this was really happening. She released him after a moment and walked down the hall and out of sight.

"Aw..." Kari said with a smile. "She hugged you. That's what I call progress."

"Mark, why did she look sad?" Glenn demanded, rounding on the Dead Man. "Did you make her cry?"

"She didn't cry when we talked," Mark assured him. "She's simply remembering memories that pain her because of how they reflect her present."

"If she looks like she's cried herself to sleep tonight when I see her tomorrow, heads will roll!" Glenn snarled, storming out of the locker room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Childish = Kari. But I hope you're happy with the chapter even if a lot didn't happen. I'm unhappy with some news I've heard and will probably update soon to make myself happy again. As always, reviews make people happy and the world go around!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: So...I didn't exactly**** reach 50 reviews yet like I wanted to with that last chapter. And I doubt I'll be able to keep a steady stream of good chapters coming. Some of them are going to have to be rather mediocre and I don't want you to be afraid to tell me that a chapter completely blows.**

**Oh, by the way, you'll probably like one part of this chapter...Just a heads up.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea's eyes opened and she sat up with a sigh. She'd had another dream about Glenn. A cruel dream of what could have been happening if she had told Glenn about her love for him.

She could feel her blood pumping quickly through her body and her breath was heavy as if she had just run a marathon. Her body was covered in a thin film of sweat that made her clothes cling to her. And she really wanted nothing more than to get in a cold shower and force her body to chill.

_Honestly, what the hell is wrong with me?_ Thea asked herself, throwing the sheets off of her and tossing her legs over the side of her bed. _I can't keep going like this...One day, I might just sleepwalk out of my room and into his and wake up with him in a very awkward situation...That will not solve any of my problems..._

She ran a hand through her hair, another sigh escaping her lips when she found a tangled mess. With an enormous amount of will, she pushed herself to her feet and stumbled around the room in search of her suitcase. Just when she found some decent clothes, someone knocked on the door.

_Great..._

Thea walked over to the door and opened it, looking out into the bright hall at the man who tortured her with cruel dreams of love. He was dressed like he was about to hit the road and that puzzled Thea since they were supposed to have a training session in an hour. Jeans and a leather jacket didn't speak of physical activity but it did give him a sexy bad boy air.

"I came to tell you that our training session has been rescheduled," Glenn told her, playing with his sunglasses. "Something has come up and the McMahon's want me to take care of it."

"What kind of thing?" Thea asked, hiding her clothes behind her back.

"A couple of wrestlers got themselves mixed up in a bar fight and were arrested," Glenn muttered. "I have to go bail them out before the media turns it into a feeding frenzy."

"Oh." Thea looked away from him, images of what had happened in her dream coming back to haunt her. "When do you expect to get back?"

"In a couple of hours." He shifted uncomfortably. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Why? Do I look like I'm not?"

"You look...feverish..." Glenn said, gesturing at her sweat soaked body. "Are you feeling all right?"

_Actually, I'm all hot and bothered..._ Thea shook her head in an attempt to chase away the thoughts. "I'm fine. I just had...a very vivid dream."

"A nightmare?"

"Not exactly."

Glenn nodded like he knew what she was talking about. She hoped that he didn't share the same kind of dreams as her...Okay, she kind of did because that would probably force him to tell her sooner like it was making the words come to her lips. Unfortunately the words never made it out of her lips in the same form that they were created.

"Will I see you in a couple of hours?" Thea asked.

"Yes."

"Good." She let a smile appear on her lips for the first time that day. "Then, go chew out the bad boys and I'll see you when you get back."

Glenn brushed a strand of her hair out of her face, his knuckles brushing gently against her cheek. "Be prepared for some intense practice."

Thea's breath hitched and she looked away quickly. "See you then..."

With that, she closed the door as he retreated down the hall. She sagged back against the door, closing her eyes. She focused on breathing slow, deep breaths instead of the dream that came flooding back with a vengeance.

_Dammit!_ Thea thought, biting her bottom lip. _Stop it!_

She turned and stormed off into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. "I really need to take a long, _long_ shower..."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn let out a sigh as he walked towards the practice arena. It had taken him four hours to deal with the trouble makers and get them to pay for their late night crimes. When was Chris going to learn his lesson?

_She's probably still waiting and is probably pissed_, Glenn thought, but then he heard her laugh. _What?_

To his horror, Randy Orton was in the practice ring with Thea. The Legend Killer was trying to get her into different moves, but she'd counter them and then dance away, luring him into a trap of her own design. And she was smiling the whole time, just for the creep.

"Glenn!" Thea exclaimed, spotting him and waving which gave Randy time to spear her and knock her to the ground. "Geez Randy!"

Randy smirked and his dark eyes locked onto Glenn's. Glenn didn't like what he saw there. Lust was in that challenging glare. Lust for the other person who was called the Viper.

"Sorry Thea," Randy said, backing off of her. "I didn't know that you were done."

"What is he doing here?" Glenn demanded, climbing into the ring.

Thea flipped to her feet and brushed her hair back out of her face. "He's helping me practice. He volunteered his time since you weren't here...We worked on that one move you were trying to teach me and I finally got it down."

"I'm here now," Glenn stated, glaring down at Randy. "You can leave."

"I know when I'm not wanted," Randy said before looking at Thea. "I'll see you around sometime Viper."

Thea flashed a pretty smile in his direction. "See you around."

Glenn tried not to strangle Randy as the man climbed out of the ring and walked away. His eyes followed the man until he vanished from view. Then he looked back at Thea. She was stretching her legs out on the top rope.

"You had that look in your eyes again," Thea commented, glancing in his direction.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Glenn mumbled, watching her.

"Remember that really intense look from the engagement party? The one that spoke volumes of disgust...Well, you had that same look in your eyes when you were looking at Randy." She switched legs. "He must have done something really rotten to earn that kind of hate from you."

"He exists," Glenn growled. "That's enough of a reason to hate him."

"Not really. He had no control of whether or not he'd exist. That's in the hands of God." Thea looked at him full on. "Are you sure you're not jealous of him for being here with me?"

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous of that creep?"

"I don't know. Maybe because he held my attention for a couple of hours...You really don't have to be jealous of him at all. I'm not interested in him."

"I just don't like it when you put yourself out there for all the monsters to play with. You're better than that."

"Monsters?" Thea shook her head. "Randy is not a monster."

"You haven't know him for as long as I have. You don't know of the lives he's ruined or the people he's hurt." Glenn looked away from her. "He's a monster..."

"Glenn, no one in this sport is a monster. People just make bad choices. They choose to live as a bad person, but that doesn't make them a monster. That just makes them need to be corrected, to be saved." She shrugged. "I'm not saying that there aren't monsters out in the world. People who hurt women and children are monsters. Dictators that cause the deaths of thousands are monsters. But I don't think Randy falls in that category. I can't see anyone else in WWE falling under that category."

_You're a monster_, a small voice in Glenn's head whispered.

"You don't know Randy," Glenn stated. "He's had cases against him from female coworkers. Cases for assault. He destroys the relationships that the Divas form with the other wrestlers because he thinks he can have whatever he wants. Thea, he will use you if you let him."

"Glenn, how blind are you?" Thea demanded. "I am not a girl who falls prey to men easily. I know when something is wrong in a relationship and I know when to say no. Randy has no chance with me at the moment because my heart belongs to another." She cocked her head to one side. "That only makes him a player, not a monster."  
"You don't know...what you're talking about. There are monsters around you daily. I'm a monster..."

"Glenn, look at me." Thea's voice was gentle, but Glenn refused to look at her. "Glenn, please look at me."

Glenn refused to look at her. Her hand cupped his chin and gently guided his face until he was looking at her. Her eyes were soft and full of genuine concern.

"Glenn, you are not a monster," Thea whispered, her eyes searching his. "I don't care how evil you think you are...I don't care how evil anyone else told you that you were because I know that's false. Evil is just the character you don when you are Kane. It doesn't speak of the man that I see every day. The man that you are is a kind man, who laughs loudly and comforts those who are scared and who makes the pain of an injury vanish with gentle hands...That is you. That is the man I see and cherish as a friend...not some monster."

"But -"

"No Glenn. You are not a monster." Thea said firmly, a hand pressed against his chest and the other still cupping his chin. "You are a warm, friendly giant who is capable of loving anyone and deserves someone who will love you back with the same intensity. You are not a monster..."

"Thea..."

His hand reached around her, pressing flat against the small of her back. She didn't seem to mind at all. Glenn thought she looked beautiful even if she was covered in a thin film of sweat with her hair pulled back in a disheveled mess. He knew she'd look beautiful no matter how she looked to everyone else...

She raised herself onto her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. Glenn kissed her back with more intensity than that and felt her respond.

_You don't deserve her...monster..._

The voice snapped him out of the moment. Glenn pulled his lips away from Thea and he stepped out of her embrace. She looked confused as he backed away from her.

"Glenn?"  
"I – I have to go." Glenn muttered, turning his back on her.

"Glenn..." Thea called as he climbed out of the ring and walked away from her. "Glenn!"

Glenn ignored her and slipped out of the door, ignoring the looks that other wrestlers sent his way. He could still taste her on his lips and feel her hands on his body, but he knew that he'd never deserve her.

He was a monster, even if she didn't believe he was one.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea was bothered all day by Glenn's reaction to her kiss. She hadn't meant for him to freak out and avoid her for the rest of the day. And it hadn't been like she planned to kiss him that day. It was simply a spur of the moment thing.

_He can't avoid me now..._ Thea thought as she adjusted her fingerless gloves on her way through the backstage area. _He has to be ringside with me...it's in his contract._

She smelled chocolate and saw Kari sitting with the Big Show, devouring a large chocolate cupcake. The two were halfway done with the cupcake, but Thea could see the purple and green sprinkles that were on top of the chocolate icing.

"KARI!" Thea exclaimed, rushing forward. "What are you doing?"

Kari looked startled. "I'm eating...What does it look like?"

"That's my cupcake!" Thea pointed out, gesturing at the half eaten cupcake. "Someone bought it specially for me!

"We didn't see your name on it," Big Show commented, popping another chunk in his mouth.

Thea reached between the two of them and plucked up a little flag that bore her name. She showed it to the two and Kari exchanged a look with Big Show.

"You couldn't have eaten the whole thing by yourself Thea," she said. "And I'm sure you would have shared it with me and Big Show when you figured that out."

Thea glared at her friend and picked up the cupcake. She made to throw it at Kari's face, but the blonde ducked and the cupcake crashed into the Undertaker's face instead. Thea's eyes were as wide as saucers as she took a step back. The Undertaker glared at her with soul burning eyes and Kari hugged Big Show in terror.

"I'm so sorry Taker," Thea babbled. "I was trying to...She moved you see...I'm sorry..."

The Undertaker remained silent, glaring at her through the chocolate mask that he now wore. Thea turned and hurried away, not ready for a beat down from him. She paused near the curtain, glancing at Kane and waited for her music to play before hurrying out the gorilla entrance with him.

_Stay_ _focused Thea_, Thea told herself as she slipped into the ring. _Stay focused on the match...Don't worry about Glenn...don't worry about what you just did to the Undertaker...Just focus on kicking Drew's sorry butt..._

Kane smacked the mat to attract her attention. "Are you all right?" he questioned.

Thea nodded and leaned back against the ropes, hoping that she looked casual because she was seriously feeling out of it today.

_Maybe I'm coming down with something..._

Drew's intro played and he came down the ramp with that cocky smirk on his face. He couldn't play her friend right now. In this sport he was a cocky, I'm-above-everyone person that no one liked. And she didn't even like the character he played, so picturing herself beating the living daylight out of him was easy. So she didn't even shake his hand before the bell rang, signaling the beginning of her match.

The commentators kept up a steady stream of comments as the match unfolded. They mostly talked about how Thea seemed to be out of it, not putting her best effort into the match. One of them said it was probably because she was still thinking about what she had done to the Undertaker. They watched her get pinned only to get back up and get thrown out of the ring.

_Get focused..._Thea thought, throwing Drew against the security wall. _Drew's gonna beat me if I don't..._

She grabbed him by his hair and sent him flying into the side of the ring. With a look of disgust, she pushed him into the ring again and slid back in herself. Drew climbed to his feet and then the arena went black.

When the lights came back on, Drew was missing and so was the ref. In their place stood the Undertaker and Kari. There was no sign that Undertaker had had cake smashed in his face, but both looked intimidating and Thea took a step back. Kane climbed into the ring and put himself between her and his brother.

"Our fight is not with you yet, Kane..." Kari said, glaring up at him.

"If it's a fight against Thea, then it's a fight against me!" Kane snarled, glaring right back at her.

The arena was quiet, but Thea didn't look out at the crowd as she placed a hand on Kane's arm. She moved around him, coming to stand at his side.

"You embarrassed the Undertaker, Thea," Kari said, speaking for the Undertaker. "And you tried to attack me. These actions can not be forgotten easily..."

"I said I was sorry," Thea muttered, looking at the Undertaker and then at Kari. "Isn't that enough?"

"These actions can't be forgiven easily either," Kari commented with a smirk. "You will suffer for what you've done. Next week, at No Mercy, you will suffer."

"What are you going to do Kari?" Thea demanded. "Are you going to have a no disqualification match against me? Do you actually think you can beat me in a match?"

"She won't have to," Undertaker said, speaking for the first time. "You are going to be in extreme rules match with me. No disqualification. No tap out. No pin. No way out except through a knock out."

"Blood is allowed," Kari added as if that was her favorite part.

Kane shook his head. "She's not going to participate in that match."

"She will," Undertaker stated. "Or she goes back to fighting girls only."

Thea looked at Kane. "I have to do this Kane...I have to." She looked at Undertaker and stepped forward. "I'll do it _if _Kari goes against Kane in a no disqualification match herself at No Mercy."

"That's fine by me." Kari said, throwing down her microphone.

The arena went black again and no one stood in the ring anymore.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stormed out of the back of the building and into the night, hearing Glenn follow after her. Glenn was pissed and hadn't changed out of his Kane outfit, choosing to come after her instead. She had changed as soon as she possibly could and stormed out.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Glenn demanded, following her. "You can't be in an extreme rules match!"

"I already agreed to it," Thea told him, sending a glare over her shoulder as her phone rang for the third time. "The fans heard about it and are expecting it. Nothing you can do will stop it from happening now."

"I can break one of your bones," Glenn growled. "Even if the idea makes me sick, I will do it."

"You wouldn't." Thea turned and glared at him. "Why does it matter to you if I participate in the match at No Mercy? It's not like Mark is going to hurt me that bad."

"You were told not to be part of any extreme rules matches. Don't you remember what happened to you last time? Don't you remember the match that nearly ended your career?"

Thea's eyes narrowed. "This...is going to be _nothing _like that match. I was young and cocky then...I know my limitations now."

"No you don't. You constantly risk your neck every time you step into the ring. You come up with moves that are dangerous and one day, you will be hurt because of a move gone wrong."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Glenn," she hissed sarcastically. "But I think I can handle myself. You need to stop worrying about me and start worrying about yourself. Kari is going to destroy you if you don't have your head in the game."

"I can't have my head in the game when you're risking everything simply because you don't want to go back to fighting only girls," Glenn growled. "You don't know what it will do to me – to your friends – if something bad happens to you!"

"Nothing bad is going to happen to me!"

"You don't know that! You're not psychic! You're not invincible! You are a little girl compared to Mark and he will destroy you to teach you a lesson!"

"I know what I am!" Thea snapped, poking him in the chest as he stopped in front of her. "I know what happened to me last time I stepped into an extreme rules match! I experienced pain that I never want to feel again! I am not going to let that happen again!"

"You can't stop it!" Glenn hissed, grabbing her by her shoulders and shaking her. "Mark will make you suffer! He will hurt you until you break and then he'll hurt you some more! The Undertaker doesn't know mercy! And I will not lose you to him!"

Thea glared at him though he could see the tears in her eyes that refused to fall. He didn't want her to cry, but he was so mad that it wouldn't make much difference if she broke down against him.

"You can't lose something that isn't yours," Thea muttered.

"You are Kane's love!" Glenn snapped, shaking her again. "When something happens to you, he's always there to exact vengeance, but I can't be there if I have a match against Kari! Why couldn't you just turn down the match and accept your fate? You could have found a way back to the same position as a wrestler against boys..."

"I couldn't..." Thea shook her head, looking away from him. "People keep trying to force me back into wrestling only girls again...They've been doing it to Kari too...but the McMahon's are on our side...for now...I can't back down from this match or they will lose faith and then Kari and I will be back where we started...I couldn't do that to her..."

Glenn was surprised."You're doing this...for Kari?"

Thea nodded. "I can't let her get forced to do fights against girls only...She'd never do it and it's been her dream to get to fight the boys and win a championship since she was a little girl. I won't be the reason her dream is never achieved..."  
"Thea...the risks..."

"I don't care what the risks are. It will be a match. I'll give the people what they want but as soon as I feel like I can't handle it anymore, I'll go down and I'll stay down. Mark and I...we'll create some signal that I can give when it gets to be too much..."

"I don't want you to do it," Glenn told her. "I can't see you bruised and broken like that again..."

"I'll be fine...This time, it'll be different." She rested her head against his chest. "I promise..."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Awkward place for me to end, but I do hope you've been made happy for a portion of this little update. It was real people and others saw it, so no one can deny it. Yay!**

**As usual, please review. And for those of you who think that I will bite your heads off if you review, don't worry. I've had my rabies shot. **


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I'll admit that I'm not too happy with the last chapter, but I think I'm just going to leave it the way it is unless it continues to eat at me. For now, please continue to read because now it's match time!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn was there with Thea as she practiced the basics with Mark. He watched them create the subtle signal that would end the match if it grew to be too much for Thea – she'd brush her hair back with two fingers – and that would be the end of her suffering. She wasn't cocky in her moves during practice, choosing to be cautious so that she could learn Mark's moves. The older man promised her that he wouldn't go easy on her during the actual match, but he'd try to keep the damage to a minimum.

Each practice session, moves were changed and the intensity grew. They never brought in weapons - having none to practice with when they asked for some – but Thea told them all that she'd at least bring in a chair. Glenn made Mark promise not to bring in a sledgehammer and he agreed, already knowing of the past match Thea had.

Kari didn't want to practice for their match because she pointed out that it wasn't going to be as intense as Thea's. Sure it was no disqualification, but she saw it as a match that she could unleash the power inside of her. Glenn knew she was just being cocky and knew that it would cost her big time if she tried any extreme move in their match. He wasn't going to take it easy on her.

Thea's personal locker room door was open and Glenn could see her playing with her gloves. He knocked on the door and her head snapped up.

"Oh...hi Glenn," she mumbled, pulling one glove on.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, stepping into the locker room.

"Pretty good." Thea sighed. "I'm a little sore though from all the practice sessions...And I'm getting nervous..."

"That's normal when you go against the Undertaker. Everyone gets nervous when they're scheduled to face him..." Glenn assured her.

"Even you?"

"Even me."

"Okay..." She trailed off, pulling on her other glove. "Do you think I stand a chance against him?"

"I do." The answer came swiftly and he knew that it was true after watching her practice with Mark so many times. "You may not win, but you will give him a run for his money. And if you give it your all, there's a good chance that you could beat him."  
A small smile pulled at the ends of Thea's lips. "The Viper beats the Undertaker...that would be a story that people would be telling their grandchildren...A moment to be remembered in history...That is, unless he Tomb Stone's me a number of times. I _hate _that move and stand no chance against a number of them...reminds me of Go To Sleep..."

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm babbling again."  
"You're nervous."  
"Right." She stood up and looked at him. "Are you nervous about going against Kari?"

Glenn thought about it for a moment. "No. She's too cocky for her own good and needs to be taken down a level. But I doubt she'll go down easily."

"She doesn't know how to stay down," Thea agreed. "She'll keep getting back up until she can't and then she'll hold a grudge for weeks. So don't be offended if she doesn't talk to you for awhile if you win."  
"When I win," Glenn corrected.

Thea smiled. "Right...If we both win, I'm taking you out somewhere we can celebrate our victories."

"And if one of us doesn't win?"

"Then, it'll be a pity party mixed with a victory celebration." Her smile grew wider. "See, I thought of everything."  
"And you've relaxed."

"I have," Thea agreed. "Being around you, I guess it helps calm me down."

A small, half smile tugged at the corner of Glenn's lips. "I'm glad to help."  
Kari ran down the hall, rushing past the door. "I'M GONNA SHOVE KANE'S HEAD SO FAR UP HIS ..." she shouted as she ran. "SHORT PEOPLE RULE! THE FALLEN WARRIOR RULES! KANE DROOLS!"

Thea giggled when Glenn growled. His eyes turned to her once more.

"Someone found the sugar stash again," she commented. "Which is a good thing for you, I suppose."

"How is it a good thing?"

"She won't be thinking straight and you'll be able to deal more damage that will keep her down." She tapped her chin. "Though you may want to watch out for her spear...she aims low and will take you down if she gets enough of them set up."

"Thanks for the advice," Glenn muttered before putting a hand on her shoulder. "You take care of yourself..."  
"I will."  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane's match against Kari went before Thea's match against Undertaker. Thea had been right about the girl when she said the girl didn't like to stay down. Every time he hit her with a move that should have knocked her down for the count, she'd find a way up. She did try to spear him several times, only catching him across the knees a couple of times and then when she figured that that wasn't working, she decided to go for high risk moves.

_She's wearing herself down_, Kane thought, watching Kari slide out of the ring and disappear under the ring. _That's why she needs to get a weapon..._

Kari popped back up with a smirk on her face. "Look at what I've got," she crooned, waving the sledgehammer in her grip. "It's your friend...Mr. Sledgehammer."

Kane knew that she was trying to make him do something stupid, but he wasn't going to fall for it. He slid out of the ring and advanced on her. She swung the sledgehammer and missed him. He grabbed onto the long wooden handle and elbowed her in the stomach. Another elbow to the stomach made her release the hammer and he tossed it aside like it was weightless.

Kari stumbled backwards and tried to climb into the ring again to avoid him, but Kane grabbed her and threw her against the security wall. She cried out and fell to her knees. Just as Kane reached for her, she delivered a kick to his stomach that forced him back.

"I'm not...going to go down...at your hands..." she panted, glaring at him through a curtain of blonde hair. "You can...forget it..."  
Kane grabbed her as she charged at him and threw her into the side of the ring. Her face contorted in pain, but she refused to fall. Kane grabbed her by the throat and brought her down in a Choke Slam through the commentator's table. She lay on the ground, her face screwed up in pain. Kane felt little pity for her since she put herself in the situation.

He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to her feet. She tried to elbow him in the side, but he threw her head first into a set of metal stairs. The resounding echo of the metal told him that she'd be hurting later and he grabbed her again, forcing her into the ring.

"No..." Kari hissed, trying to get to her feet, but Kane knocked her down again. "I'm not...going down...I can't..."  
"Stay down!" Kane hissed, getting down for the pin.

There were tears in Kari's eyes as she was pinned. Kane didn't stand over her, gloating like other opponents would have. Instead he reached down and pulled her to her feet.

"You did good, kid," he said as the crowd cheered.

Kari sent him a withering glare and slid out of the ring, an arm crossed over her stomach. Kane watched her for a moment before bringing his arms up and then down, setting the pyrotechnics off.

The march backstage was a short one, but he had an increasing feeling of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. In a few minutes, Thea would be walking out to face the Undertaker in an extreme rules match where she would be beat black and blue and where the Undertaker's revenge would be exacted.

Thea stood amongst a group of Divas and Superstars, a green viper emblazoned on the back of her black midriff shirt. She turned when she heard him pause a few feet away.

"Guys, I'll talk to you after the match," Thea said, walking away from her friends. "Kane, you did an incredible job," she told him with a small smile.

"I still don't like how you're going against Undertaker alone," Kane muttered, his eyes narrowing at the thought. "You shouldn't have agreed to the match..."

"We've already been over this," Thea said, crossing her arms. "I am going against him so I don't get forced into fighting girls only again...And I'm going to win."

"You shouldn't get cocky. An attitude like that and you'll lose before you can get a decent move set on him."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." She held up her hand to silence him. "I've got a match to be in. We'll talk later."

She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back against him. Her eyes turned to his, a silent question in them. Out in the arena, he could hear the crowd calling for a kiss. A look from her granted permission and he pressed his lips against hers before her music played and she vanished through the curtain.

_Good luck_, he thought, heading further backstage to get something to settle his stomach.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea didn't do much show boating as she waited for the Undertaker's intro to play. She waved to the audience, earning a loud roar of cheers and that was it. She was way too nervous to do much more than that.

_After all those practice sessions with him...it's come down to this_, Thea thought as the arena darkened and Undertaker's intro played. _We've been over the basics, but we're going to have to do so much more to knock each other out. Great..._

She watched Undertaker make his way down the ramp and into the ring like he had all the time in the world. She bounced on the balls of her feet and waited until he put his coat and hat away before walking over to him. For the first time in a long time, she held her hand out and wished him good luck. She didn't really didn't expect him to shake her hand because it wasn't part of his image, but he reached out and clasped her hand, giving it a firm shake.

"Let us begin," he said quietly as the bell rang signaling the beginning of the match.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane's attention was attracted when he heard people shouting at the end of a hall. There were a number of wrestlers clustered around a TV, watching Thea's and Undertaker's match. He was amazed that the match was still going on after fifteen minutes. Apparently, some of them couldn't either.

"She's down! She's down!" John shouted.

"No man, look! She's up again!" R-Truth said, pointing. "Look at her go. She's doing that move I taught her...Woo! That will teach him to keep his hands off her."

"Go Thea! Go Taker!" Kari said,sitting in the middle of all of them with Drew and Stephen. "Kick some serious butt!"  
"Why are you rooting for the Undertaker?" Drew asked. "I thought Thea was your friend."

Kari looked at him. "Well, she is, but I'm dating him. Can't I root for both of them?"

"I guess."

"Will you two shut up?" Stephen demanded, throwing a dirty look at the two of them. "She's getting the living daylight pounded out of her and...She just got thrown out of the ring."

"Ha! I told you he'd throw her out of the ring!" Kari declared, punching Big Show's arm. "You owe me twenty bucks!"

Big Show shook his head and continued to watch the match. Kane walked up behind them, seeing Thea getting to her feet outside the ring on the TV screen.

"How is she doing?" Kane asked.

"Well, she was doing good until he tried Tomb Stoning her...She's been off ever since that move and that was about five minutes ago," Kari said, never taking her eyes off the screen.

_And that was the move that she was worried about_, Kane thought.

"She's got a chair!" Drew exclaimed.

"Oh lass, what do you think you're going to accomplish by swinging it like that?" Stephen asked as if Thea could hear him.

There was a loud smack and Undertaker hit the ground.

"Well, she could do that," John pointed out. There was another metallic smack. "And that."

"Oh no, but the fool's up again!" R-Truth said. "Run Thea! Run!"

"Too late..." Big Show muttered as Thea was thrown into the metal pole at the corner of the ring. "She's toast."

"I bet you she isn't," Kari said.

"Well, he sure busted her open," John said, pointing. "Look at all that blood on her face. And now he's got the chair..."

"That's my girl!" Stephen said, watching Thea kick the chair out of Undertaker's hands and then swinging around to deliver another roundhouse kick that caught him across the face. "Busted his face right open!"

"Hey!" Kari protested, losing the happy look on her face. "I kiss those lips! If they're permanently damaged, I'll kill you, Thea!"

Kane shook his head, watching Thea climb back into the ring after pushing the Undertaker back inside it. She couldn't rely on her submission holds to end the match like she usually could because this wasn't a match where she could force Undertaker to tap out. She had to rely on her skills and inflict as much damage as she could on him before he ended her.

"What's Undertaker planning?... Not another Choke Slam!" Drew said, smacking the ground. "Dammit! She's already been in three of them!"

"Three?" Kane was impressed. She hadn't been able to withstand one in the practice sessions she had with Mark. "That's...impressive..."

"She's down...She's up again..." Stephen muttered. "Oh lass, please stay down...I told you not to be in another extreme rules match... Stay down lass."

"She's not listening," John pointed out with a smirk.

"That girl's got some spunk!" R-Truth declared with a smile, doing a little dance. "I don't see why she ain't the champion of something yet."

"Because the McMahon's are asses, that's why," Kari said in a bitter voice, hugging her knees to her chest.

"She's hesitating..." Drew said. "I think...Yeah, she's doing it...She's giving up..."

Kane watched Thea use two fingers to brush her hair back out of her face. There was pain in her eyes as blood flowed freely from a cut on her forehead. Even from where the camera was, he could see the bruises forming on her body. It made him sick to his stomach, but at least it was over now.

"Well, that's the end of that," Big Show said as John and R-Truth stared at the TV screen in complete shock. "He'll finish her off now and that will be the end of this match...Can't say I blame her for giving up..."

The others were starting to walk away when Stephen cursed. One of Kane's eyebrows quirked up.

"What's wrong?" Drew asked, looking down at the man and Kari who was also watching the screen with a dirty look on her face.

"I thought I saw something," Stephen muttered, staring at the screen. "Something that doesn't bode well for our lass..."

"She's called for the end of the match," Drew said. "That's all there is to it."  
"Oh God no!" Kari exclaimed, getting to her feet. "Hell no!"

"What's wrong?" Big Show said, hurrying back to her side.

"There are masked people out there," Kari whispered, pointing at the TV screen. "And they've brought NXT..." She paled visibly as she looked at the others who had come back. "And they've brought sledgehammers..."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Oh yes! NXT AND masked people coming out to interrupt a match between Thea and Undertaker...How are our favorite characters going to react? Stayed tuned.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Wow, this story has 60 reviews last time I checked. Thanks for the really large number guys! I hope you enjoy this next chapter, even if something really bad happens.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea heard someone in the audience scream as she was thrown on the mat again. She looked towards the ramp and saw a small army of masked men coming down the ramp. NXT season one rookies were already surrounding the ring. Thea winced as her head throbbed with pain.

"Thea...can you get up?" Undertaker asked, barely opening his mouth as he said the words.

Thea tried to push herself into a sitting position, but her head was swimming. "I..."  
Undertaker motioned for her to stay down and looked out at the people now surrounding the ring. "This...is going to be difficult."

Thea looked out at the people and saw that some were holding sledgehammers. Her heartbeat sped up and she could hear it pounding in her ears. Images of her last extreme rules match flashed before her eyes. The pain came flooding back and Thea bit back a whimper. She didn't want to cry in front of so many people, but she felt like a scared little girl lying helpless on the mat with only Undertaker to protect her.

_I shouldn't have injured him so much...he won't stand a chance against all of these people..._Thea thought, trying once more to push herself into a sitting position and managing to get up with a soft groan. _He needs help and I...I should help him..._

She stumbled to her feet and Undertaker reached out, steadying her by grabbing her by the wrist. Thea crossed an arm over her stomach as pain radiated from it, but she didn't know if it was pain sustained from the match or the memories of the pain she had endured.

"If you see an opening to run," Undertaker whispered. "Take it and don't look back."

Thea wiped blood out of her eyes and looked out at the people growing closer and closer to the ring. "I...I can't leave you..."

Undertaker nodded and released her arm. That seemed to be the thing that the masked people were waiting for because they swarmed into the ring and started attacking Undertaker and Thea with the sledgehammers and their own painful moves.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The people backstage stared in horror at the TV, showing what was happening out in the ring. Thea and the Undertaker were doing their best to hold off the attacks, but there were so many people out there and both were already wounded and extremely tired from their match. Things didn't look good for them...

Kari looked at Big Show, clasping his hand tightly. John and R-Truth's mouths were hanging open in shock. Stephen and Drew had vanished for awhile and come back with weapons and more Superstars.

"We can't let this go on for much longer," Stephen said. "Let's teach those bastards not to mess with our friends!"

Kari seemed to react to that and stole the sledgehammer out of Drew's hands. "Let's go kick some ass!"

Kane watched the little warrior and the Big Show run down the hall and seconds later, reappear on the ramp. The others started after them, roaring with battle cries. He knocked the TV down on his way out, knocking aside anything that got in his way.

The arena was in chaos. Fans were screaming and cameras were flashing as people snapped as many pictures as they could of the chaos in the ring. They seemed to sense that this was not part of the scheduled show and they were scared.

There were plenty of masked people and all of NXT season one was in the ring, assaulting the Undertaker, but more seemed to focus on Thea. One masked figure in particular seemed to focus all of his attacks on Thea's cringing form.

Kane had never seen so much blood in all of his days of wrestling. He knocked aside masked figures as they fought against the Superstars who had come out to help. All of his attention was focused on getting to Thea and saving her from the people assaulting her.

_She's not even fighting them anymore_, Kane thought, his teeth grinding together in his fury. _She can't...She can't do anything with them assaulting her like that!...They will pay for torturing her like this!_

With an angry roar he entered the ring and started attacking anything that stood in his way.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea lay on the mat, tears of pain swimming in her eyes. All around her, people were fighting. They were circling her, attacking her already sore body. Every attack sent a fresh wave of pain through her body to the point that it was like fire scorching through her. She wanted to cry out, but there was barely enough air in her lungs.

Only one person seemed to have the intent on really ending her. He held a sledgehammer in his hands and wore a mask. Thea felt like she knew who he was, but she couldn't think clearly. Her head was pounding and she could feel hot, sticky liquid running down her face.

_I'm bleeding..._Thea thought through the fog. _Just like last time...This is exactly what happened last time, but there was no one to save me last time...Is there anyone now? _

She wanted to lift her head up, but the slightest movement made more waves of pain sweep through her beaten body.

_Oh, why didn't I listen to Stephen and Drew? Why didn't I listen to Glenn before all of this happened?_ She blinked back tears. _Why didn't I tell Glenn that I love him before this...If he would have told me that he loved me...maybe I would have listened to him and I wouldn't be where I am now._

She closed her eyes as someone forced her into a sitting position, seeing the knee coming her way. A tear slid down her cheek, mixing with the blood. _This is all my fault..._

She felt a sudden blast of pain as something slammed into her head and then she hit the mat. Everything went black after that.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The masked men and NXT were fleeing, sensing that there was no way they could win without sustaining heavy casualties. Their job was done anyway as they looked at the ring that had imploded under the weight of so many wrestlers and attacks. The leader of the group bent down and whispered something into the ear of Thea before anyone could get to them.

"This ought to teach you not to sick your pets on me, little girl," he hissed. "Maybe now you'll remember me..."

He pushed himself to his feet and jumped the security wall, running out of the arena after the other masked men and NXT season one. He could hear Superstars following him, roaring at them to come back and face someone their own size. A glance back showed him that Triple H and HBK were running after them with sledgehammers in hand.

Leader had no intention of getting attacked with one of those or facing either Superstar, so he put on another burst of speed and ran out into the night.

_You'll think twice about attacking me again Thea_, he thought bitterly.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Stephen and Drew ran up the ramp, chasing the remaining masked attackers away from what was left of the ring. They hesitated at the top, looking back at the ring with pained expressions. They could see Thea lying in the wreckage, but they knew that the masked attackers needed justice served on them.

Stephen looked at Drew with tears of anger and sorrow sliding down his face, something that no one had ever seen him do. A few tears were sliding down Drew's cheeks as the man looked back at his Irish coworker.

In unison, the two men turned and hurried back down the ramp, rushing to get to their best friend's side as they had when they had faced the problem the first time all those years ago.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Tears of frustration fell from Kari's eyes as she stood over Undertaker with a sledgehammer in her hand. Her boyfriend was injured and she hadn't been able to prevent it from happening.

_But...he's conscious at least_, Kari thought, looking down at her boyfriend with sad eyes. _He'll recover quickly...He always does...but..._

Her eyes left her boyfriend's face to look at the wreckage that had been the ring. Laying in the wreckage, Thea's body lay there, unmoving and bleeding.

_She wasn't as lucky as the Undertaker..._Kari thought bitterly, throwing her sledgehammer aside as she fell to her knees next to the Undertaker's abused form. _Please let her make it through this...Thea..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Undertaker stared up at the lights shining down on him and the ring. He was aware of the dull pain that was coursing through his body, but his thoughts were elsewhere. His rookie was on her knees next to him, tears falling freely from her eyes. He saw pain there. She'd fought through the injuries she had sustained earlier that night to help him and to help...

_Thea!_

Those bastards hadn't come out to attack him. He had simply been in their way. Their real target was the one who thought she was invincible. And they had reached her because he hadn't been able to hold them all off.

He bit back a groan and sat up. Kari tried to convince him to lay back down until the medical team got to him, but he was deaf to her pleas. He turned and saw the group of people clustered around Thea, trying to get her to respond to them. His eyes found Kane standing at the side of the ring, pain in his eyes and sadness mixed with anger contorting his face.

_Heads are going to roll once he finds out who attacked the love of his life_, Undertaker thought, watching his brother make his way through the wreckage._ And we will finally see the true monster inside..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane stepped through the wreckage, hearing things crack under his feet. The world around him had gone silent to him. Everything was moving in slow motion and all he could think about was getting to Thea. He hadn't been able to save her, but maybe he could help her.

Stephen and Drew had beaten him to Thea and they were trying to get her to wake up. Drew was gently shaking her by the shoulder, whispering her name over and over. Stephen was cradling her head on his lap and yelling for the medical team to hurry.

And Thea was just laying there.

Her eyes were closed and blood ran freely down her face, congealed blood coating her hair and clothes. Her body was covered in darkening bruises and her outfit was torn, exposing pieces of flesh that were cut and bruised. She was a mess, but she still looked beautiful.

He fell to his knees next to her body and took her into his arms, cradling her against him. He didn't care if her blood smeared across his skin as he moved her gently so her head didn't loll lifelessly over his arm. She looked so pale under the blood and bruises and he gently touched her face.

"Thea...please wake up..." he whispered, stroking her face gently with the back of his hand. "Please...Thea..."  
She didn't respond to his pleas. Her chest rose and fell with each shallow breath she took. Kane felt his heart break as she lay there in his arms, unmoving, unfeeling. Tears fell from his eyes and fell onto her face. He quickly wiped them away, smearing blood across her cheeks.

The sound of the world came flooding back. The crowd was on their feet, shouting. The commentators were on their feet too, trying to tell the viewers what was happening in somber voices. Stephen and Drew were trying to convince him to hand her over to the medical team that had brought a stretcher to the side of the ring. The medical team was asking him to hand her over.

"No..." Kane whispered, standing up and still cradling Thea against him. "No..."

"You have to let them help her," Stephen said and Kane was astonished to see the tears sliding down the warrior's face. "We can't do anything...Let them help her."  
Kane turned and walked over to the stretcher, placing Thea on it. The medical team swarmed around the two of them, strapping her securely to it. Kane touched her face one more time before the medical team pushed her up the ramp and disappeared backstage.

The small procession of remaining wrestlers took one look at each other and started up the ramp slowly. Kari let Undertaker lean against her for support as the two led the way up the ramp and disappeared backstage. Drew reached over and put a hand on Stephen's shoulder to show support for the man as the two walked.

Kane was the last one up the ramp and as he walked, people called out to him but he didn't register what they were saying. He was aware only of the agony his heart was in.

Backstage was chaos as everyone tried to register what had happened. People were running next to the stretcher that Thea was on and the rest of the medical team was trying to tell Undertaker that he needed medical treatment too.

The ambulance was there with its back doors open and its sirens were blaring. The medical team put Thea's stretcher in the back and asked for Undertaker to climb in. Undertaker glanced at Kane with a serious expression on his face.

"Get cleaned up and meet us there," he told his brother. "You can't help her if you're not thinking straight..."

Kane nodded and watched Undertaker climb into the back of the ambulance. The doors closed and then the ambulance was screaming away, disappearing into the night, carrying his love away from him.

_Please be all right Thea..._he thought, slamming his fist against a wall. _For me..._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So...what do you think? Who is the masked leader and who are the rest of the masked people? Will Thea and Undertaker be all right? You'll just have to stay tuned and find out once I get back from camping. Much love! ~Scarlet**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: So...I'm very happy that I came home from camp to find like 8 reviews waiting for me. Thanks guys! I hope you're happy with the content of this chapter...**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Drew held Thea's hand in his own, staring at her unconscious form on the hospital bed. He couldn't believe how small she seemed as she laid there or how pale she was under the mottled bruises. "It shouldn't have been like this...not again..."

"Aye..." was the reply from Stephen as the Irish man stood near the door, keeping an eye out for Mark or Glenn. "This was never supposed to happen."

"Why did you do it Thea?" Drew demanded quietly, giving her hand a firm squeeze. "Why did you agree to something so stupid? Did you learn nothing from the last time?"

The machines that Thea was hooked up to beeped mournfully, but Thea gave him no response. He hadn't been expecting one. With a sigh, he glanced at Stephen, who was now watching the two of them with sad eyes.

"She shouldn't have been in that ring," he said. "There were rules put in place that said she shouldn't have been there..."

"She never was one for rules," Stephen commented with a small shake of the head as he slid his hands in the pockets of his pants. "You know she'd find her way out of any rule if she was given the chance...The McMahon's, they were just interested in getting her into a dangerous situation to give the people a show. They didn't care for the consequences..."

"And Mark...he was part of all this. If he hadn't -"

"Don't blame Mark... We can't blame him for something that Thea set up..." Stephen said. "He was just doing his job, she was doing hers...All we can do is hope that they catch the bastards that attacked the two of them." His eyes darkened. "I would be out there looking for them myself if she wasn't like this..."

"Do you think Mike...?"

"I don't know...Mike has been pissed since we beat his sorry ass...but Thea hasn't mentioned any threats coming from him...If it was him that did this to her a second time, I'm going to make her press for attempted murder. He'll never see another day of wrestling again."

Drew looked back at Thea's face. "She knows who did it...He whispered something to her before he ran...When she wakes up..." He trailed off.

They didn't know when Thea would wake up. Her head had been abused, but since she was stabilized, the doctors had great expectations for her. She was breathing on her own and her heart beat was strong. The doctors told them that that was a good sign, but they couldn't guarantee anything. And the one time that she had woken up for a few minutes, she'd screamed in agony because of all the pain, but before they could sedate her, she'd passed back out again and that had been a good seven hours ago.

"We can't think that things are going to end badly," Stephen muttered, looking down at his sleeping best friend. "She'll pull through...she did once before and -"

"It wasn't this bad last time," Drew pointed out.

"She'll pull through." Stephen assured the Scot. "Thea...she's always been able to pull a miracle out of thin air...In no time at all, she'll recover from this and be back to wrestling the boys like this never happened..."

"And that's what I'm afraid of." Drew released Thea's hand and sat back in the uncomfortable chair that he'd been given. "She'll go back to thinking that she's invincible and we could end up back in this situation again...And Stephen, I can't go through this again. Once was too much to handle, but this is the second time...I will – I will die if she puts us through this kind of thing for a third time..."  
Stephen ran a hand through his hair. "It would be simpler if she wasn't under Glenn's hand...if she was one of our rookies, we'd have more control over what matches she was in..."

"We'd have to be her managers to have complete control..."

Stephen looked at him with a smirk. "That could work..." Then he sighed. "But I doubt she'd go for it. She likes her freedom and with her crush on Glenn..."

"We could always go through him. Make him make her do safe matches..." Drew took Thea's hand again. "After what he saw tonight...he's got to want to keep this from happening again..."  
"We just need to catch the bastards who did this and make an example of them...then this may never happen again." Stephen moved to stand on the opposite side of Thea. "And maybe she did learn something from her last extreme rules match..."

"How do you figure?"

"She was ready to give up the match and accept defeat before those rat bastards came out..." He smoothed back Thea's hair with a gentle hand. "I think she's finally learning that she has limitations..."

Drew looked at Thea's hand, feeling something change. Her fingers moved in his hand, squeezing his gently.

"Thea...?" Drew whispered, clasping her hand with both of his now. "Can you hear me, love?"

Her eyelids fluttered and barely opened. A soft moan escaped her lips as she tried to move again. Stephen took her other hand in his and smoothed her hair back again.

"Lass, don't try to move," Stephen told her quietly. "You'll aggravate your injuries..."

"Everything...hurts..." Thea's voice was barely louder than a pained whisper.

A few tears fell from her barely open eyes and Drew quickly wiped them away. "We know...that's why we don't want you to move around..."

Thea took a deep breath and a tiny whimper came out. "It hurts..."

"We could get the doctor to give you some pain medicine," Stephen said. "If you want me to, I'll go get him."

Thea's fingers tightened on his hand. "Don't leave...please..."

"All right...I'll stay right here..." Stephen promised, squeezing her fingers gently. "For as long as you want, lass."

Thea was silent for a moment, her eyes closed. Drew thought she had fallen back to sleep, but she took another breath, wincing as she opened her eyes a little wider this time.

"I...shouldn't have...the match...I'm sorry," Thea whispered, looking at her two best friends with eyes swimming with tears. "I'm so sorry...putting you through this again...I'm a horrible friend..."  
"Oh no..." Stephen said, petting her hair. "You're just a magnet for bad things...but that will never change the way that we feel about you...You're our best friend. Right Drew?"

Drew nodded. "Our lives wouldn't be as entertaining if you weren't our friend..."

"But putting you through this...again...?"

"It let's us know that our hearts are still in working order." Drew smirked. "A few heart attacks are a healthy thing when you're the cause...But I do have one request."

"Hm?"

"Don't make either of us have another heart attack for a very long time," Drew requested. "I don't want another one until you have news that you're having some guy's baby."

Thea's lips twitched, but she didn't smile. "Deal..." She yawned. "I'm tired..."

"Lass, one more thing before you fall asleep," Stephen muttered. "Can you tell us who the leader of the masked men was?"

Thea's eyes clouded over with pain and she shook her head. "I...I don't know...please...I don't want to think..."

"It's okay," Stephen whispered, stroking her hair again. "You don't have to think about it if you don't want to. We're not going to make you think about it anymore. You just close your eyes and get some rest."  
Thea's eyes closed again, only to open a little bit. "Where's Glenn?"

"I don't know," Drew said, glancing at Stephen who shook his head. "But I'm sure he'll come for you once he's got his head on straight."

"There's something I...have to tell him..." Thea opened her eyes all the way despite the bruises around them. She tried to force herself into a sitting position, her face screwing up with pain. "I need to tell him..."

"Rest first," Stephen said, gently easing her back against the pillows. "Recover and then you can talk to Glenn."  
"We'd rather see you recovered than have you make confessions of love while you're in excruciating pain," Drew agreed. "Boys can wait. You focus on getting better, love."  
Thea gave the hint of a nod and she closed her eyes. Stephen continued to stroke her hair and after several minutes, her grip on their hands loosened. Drew felt a presence at the door and looked up to see Mark standing there.

"How is she?" he asked quietly.

"She's in a great deal of pain," Drew whispered back. "What about your injuries?"

Mark shook his head, entering the room slowly and quietly. "They're nothing compared to hers..." He looked down at the young Scot. "You should get back to the hotel, both of you. You need your rest."  
Drew shook his head. "I'm fine."  
"Go. I will watch over her," Mark stated, standing at the foot of the hospital bed.

"We should go," Stephen said before looking down at Thea. "I'll see you in a few hours lass." He placed a small kiss on her forehead, releasing her hand.

Drew stood up slowly, touching her cheek with a gentle hand. "We'll be back soon."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn felt hollow as he stepped out of his car and into the cool parking garage of the hospital that Thea and Mark were still in. He'd checked the security tapes for hours, looking for any sign of who the masked men were. He'd watched the tapes of the match gone wrong over and over again, seeing how far he had been from Thea, unable to protect her. Each time, he thought of things he should have done to make it to her before the bastards had gotten a hold of her. Before they broke her again.

Her blood no longer stained his skin – a shower had wiped away all traces of her. He had cried in the safety of the shower, his tears mixing with the cold water, until he couldn't cry anymore. He had failed to protect the person that he loved from monsters who wanted her out of the picture and now she was laying in a hospital bed in God knows what kind of condition.

He stepped into an elevator, leaning back against the wall and ran a hand over his face. He hadn't slept at all last night and he was supposed to be on a plane to another city right now, but he'd managed to convince the right people to let him stay in the one he was in longer. He had to be there for his rookie when she woke up. He had to make sure she was all right before he set his sights on vengeance.

A look across the elevator brought back memories of the time he'd been stuck in an elevator with Thea for hours. She'd been so scared and then with his help, she'd calmed down and they talked. She had stayed in his arms for hours, completely trusting him with her secrets.

_Why did I let her do it?_ Glenn thought, shaking his head as he looked down at his feet. _Why did I let her go through an extreme rules match without going out there with her? Maybe they wouldn't have gone after her if I was there...Why didn't I stop her?_

He stepped out of the elevator and walked out into the hospital. The nurse at the front desk looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

"Which room is Thea Lei Andrews in?" he asked, looking down the hall.

"Thea Lei Andrews?" The nurse pushed her glasses up her nose and clicked some buttons on her computer. "She's in room 309. That's down that hall. Second to last door on your right."

"Thanks," Glenn muttered, turning and heading down the hall the nurse had pointed at.

He could hear quiet voices speaking in room 309. One he immediately recognized as Mark's and the other was Thea's, but it was so quiet and sounded pained. He hesitated just outside the door, not wanting to interrupt a conversation, but it seemed like they were done talking in the room.

The first thing Glenn's eyes locked onto was Thea. It startled him to see how the bed seemed to swallow her small form and how pale she was compared to the blankets that covered her. His eyes traveled over the bruises on her arms and up to her face where more bruises had developed. A gauze bandage covered the cut on her forehead and he could see the dark stain of blood on it.

When her eyes met his, he saw pain. She quickly looked away from him and looked at Mark, who held one of her hands in his. It struck Glenn as odd that the man looked like a concerned father, offering support to a child after a bad accident. Glenn hesitated in the doorway, unsure of what he should do.

"It's time for me to leave," Mark whispered, standing up.

Thea nodded with a small frown tugging at her lips. "I'll see you when I see you...Tell everyone I'm...going to be fine. Okay? Will you do that for me?"  
"I will," Mark promised. "You just focus on getting better."

Thea settled back against the pillows and watched him walk towards Glenn. Mark motioned for Glenn to move out of view of Thea just outside her door.

"How bad did they hurt her?" Glenn demanded, trying to keep his voice low.

"They caused a lot of internal bruising and bleeding. She cracked a rib which makes it hard for her to breathe comfortably and her head...they expected her to be out longer, but she seems to be doing fine," Mark announced quietly. "I'm not going to lie to you. She's in a lot of pain right now, but she refuses to take any pain medication. She wouldn't tell me why, but she doesn't have to. I already know why."

"Thea's punishing herself," Glenn muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "For no reason."

"She believes she brought all of this on herself," Mark said, watching Glenn's face. "She believes that if she hadn't participated in the match at No Mercy, that neither of us would have been beaten. And she thinks if she had been nicer to the person who led the attack, that maybe there would have been no attack in the first place."  
"So she knows who did this?" Glenn inquired, his eyes narrowing.

"If she does, she's not telling," Mark stated. "Glenn, don't pressure the girl about it because she's been traumatized. This is the second time that she's been beaten within an inch of her life. She'll want to suppress the memories as she has with the first incident. Don't make it harder for her to move on."

"I won't."

"Good. Now go to her. She's been wanting to see you since she woke up." Mark moved out of the way of the door, stepping around Glenn.

Glenn hesitated, listening to Mark's retreating footsteps before entering the room. Thea's eyes were fixated on him the instant he stepped into the room. Her chest rose and fell as she took a ragged breath. But there was a small smile on her lips as she looked at him.

"Glenn..." she whispered, watching him come closer. The small smile fell. "Glenn, I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have gone through with the match... I should have accepted my place amongst the Divas without question and worked my way back up to fighting with boys...I shouldn't have put you through this..."

"Don't be sorry," Glenn ordered. "Don't be sorry about any of it. You were doing what you felt was right and you were trying to help your friend. Don't you remember telling me that? You were participating in that match for Kari."

"But if I hadn't-"

"Thea, it wasn't your fault." Glenn stated, coming to a stop at the foot of the bed. "It was the fault of whoever was hiding under the mask. He is the one who caused all of your pain. He made you like this...and he will pay."  
Thea sighed and looked away. "Vengeance for the Viper from Kane...packed with all the scripted love that the writers can come up with."

"Thea -"

"Glenn, there's something I've been scared to tell you for so long, but now that this has happened...I can't be afraid anymore," Thea muttered, looking at him once more. "I can't be afraid of the words anymore or I may never say them to you or to anybody else for that matter."

Glenn was silent as he watched Thea draw another breath. She winced and put a hand over her stomach where he was sure more bruises lay hidden from his eyes.

"I've been thinking about this a lot...how I was going to finally come out and say what needs to be said," Thea muttered, blowing some of her hair out of her face. "I've been thinking about it so much that what I'd say would sound so much like a scripted message from a bad movie...And I guess part of me was convinced that you would come to me first and then all of the pressure would be off of me. Words like this are supposed to come naturally and they're supposed to..."

"Thea, don't-"

"Don't try to stop me," Thea hissed, glaring at him. "I've tried and I've tried to be nice to you because that's how I get around you. I want to be nice to you. I've tried to show you that someone – anyone – could care for you because you are not a monster."

"I am a monster," Glenn muttered.

"You aren't!" Thea growled. "I don't care what your ex said! I haven't seen any proof that you are a monster! I wouldn't care for you if you were a monster! Not this way!"

So she was going to say it. And Mark had blabbed about what his ex had said about him. Glenn looked away from her, unable to look at her as she winced in pain.

"Glenn, you've been wallowing in the past. You can't see what's in front of you, right now. You haven't been able to see that I care for you! That I don't see you as a giant monster to be feared! I've respected you! I've been there for you! I've brought you out of your shell and started getting people interested in being friends with you! I've tried to convince you that you're worthy of happiness and love! But you won't listen to me! You won't listen to anyone who cares for you!"

"Thea, you need to calm down," Glenn said, worried that she would injury herself more.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Thea snapped, though her face was turning red from the pain rising up inside of her. "I was going to tell you in a nicer way, but you can't hear _nice. _After everything we've done together...after everything that we've talked about...you could never, _never _read the signs that I was giving you. It's like you're blind to everything that I've done. You're deaf to everything that I've said. Just because you can't fix your head around the thought that you can be loved, that you deserve to be loved..."

"Thea, no." Glenn whispered, shaking his head. "No. We can't be together."

"And why the hell not?" Thea demanded, tears streaming down her face. "Because you're old enough to be my dad? There are far older men who are married to girls my age! Or is it because you're a monster? I've never seen you as a monster, not even when you beat Mike senseless! So give me one good reason why we can't be together!"

Glenn stepped back. "You're young and you'll find someone else...you deserve better than me."

"I don't want anyone else! I want _you_! I love you, Glenn! I love you so much that it hurts me because you won't accept me!" Thea cried. "I know you love me...everyone's told me that you love me but I was waiting for you to tell me yourself. But you won't do that because you're too stubborn to move on with your life and find happiness!"

"Thea..."

"I love you, Glenn, but if you can't accept me, just walk out." Thea ordered, glaring at him though her heart was breaking in front of him. "If you can't let yourself find happiness and love with me...If you can't admit the truth to me, then go."

Glenn glanced back at the door and Thea rolled onto her side, closing her eyes against the world.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea heard Glenn hesitate for a moment in the room and then she heard retreating footsteps. Seconds later the door closed and Thea's heart broke a little more. She didn't turn to look because she knew that he was gone.

He'd left her when she poured her heart out to him. He hadn't said a word, hadn't fought very much against her or tried to calm her down. He'd simply turned and left the room.

_Why Glenn? Why couldn't you just love me? _Thea's voice sounded pathetic in her head. _Was I wrong?_

Her body trembled from the effort it had taken to scream and her body felt like it was on fire with pain. More tears fell though her eyes were closed and spilled over onto the pillow she'd been given. She hugged herself and wished that she was anywhere but there.

The bed moved under her and Thea found herself resting against a rock solid body. Strong arms cradled her and gentle fingers wiped away the tears that fell freely. Her eyes opened a little bit and she found herself looking into Glenn's eyes.

"I...love you," he murmured into her ear. "And I'll never leave you...never."  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: You're welcome, dear readers. You got the scene you wanted in a way that you probably didn't expect. Maybe I needed m****ore romance to be involved, but what could you expect when my OC is in the hospital? Vengeance is going to be a bitch when it comes, but that's going to have to wait for awhile...She has to see her daddy and then vengeance! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: In greeting I have a simple warning: This is somewhat of a filler because I had no clue how to move into the next chapter without putting in some hints about what's going to go on in the future chapters. You have been warned.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea winced as she bumped into something backstage and drew her breath in as a hiss. She hadn't fully recovered from the incident at No Mercy a couple of weeks ago and that meant she couldn't be in the ring for awhile longer. She was simply there to watch Kane exact his vengeance and try to help him figure out who had hidden underneath the masks at No Mercy.

Kane had already exacted at least part of his vengeance on NXT season 1 last Monday. He'd had the help of Shawn Michaels and Triple H, who were happy to humiliate the younger men. But NXT were the only people they were sure of that had attacked her and Undertaker. The tapes hadn't revealed any sign of who the masked people were and NXT wasn't talking. Even when their jobs were put on the line, not one of them admitted knowing who the masked people were.

_There were a couple of girls_, Thea thought, trying to recall what had happened at No Mercy. _A couple of masked girls...or were there? I don't think a girl could muster up the courage to attack the Undertaker...Maybe I was just seeing things...creating false memories..._

Thea shook her head and sank down onto a chair. Her body still hurt, but a thin layer of make up was all that was needed to cover up most of her bruises. The bruises on her abdomen were the worst and they were still dark and painful to the touch.

_And the masked leader...I know him...I know who he was...I could smell the alcohol on his breath...It was so familiar...but how can I be sure?_

Thea glanced to her right and saw Mike standing at the end of a hall. He was watching her with a nasty look in his eyes. She stood up slowly and stared down the hall at him. He didn't move.

"_This ought to teach you not to sick your pets on me, little girl...Maybe now you'll remember me..."_

The words had been hissed in her ear as darkness closed over her. She wanted so badly to believe that Mike hadn't been the one to whisper them. As she walked towards him, he didn't retreat and he withdrew something from his back pocket. Thea's heart thudded painfully in her chest when she saw that it was a mask. A black mask just like the one the masked leader had worn. Just like the others who had masked their identities.

"Mike...how could you?" Thea demanded, glaring at him. "How could you do this to me again? I haven't done anything to you!"

Mike shook his head and threw the mask to the ground. "I didn't do it Thea...I found that on the floor of Chris' locker room."

"How can I believe anything that you say?" Thea questioned, bending down to scoop up the mask.

When she looked up, Mike was gone. She stood in the hall for a moment, holding the mask with trembling hands. Shane was the one who found her standing there.

"Is something wrong Thea?" Shane asked before he noticed what was in her hand. "Where did you find that?"

"Mike threw it down, said it was Chris'...when I looked up he was gone," Thea mumbled, handing over the mask. "I don't know if I can trust him.."  
"Do you think that he was the one that led the attack on you and Mark?" Shane asked, examining the mask.

"He was the one that attacked me the first time...but I thought he'd put his alcoholism in the past and moved on..." Thea ran a hand through her hair, sighing in frustration. "Why can't I place a face with the voice...I should know the person who attacked me..."

"I'll talk with Mike," Shane promised. "We'll get to the bottom of this and people will be punished for what they've done." He put a hand on her shoulder. "You just focus on getting better. The fans and your WWE family miss seeing you in action."  
Thea nodded. "Thanks Shane."

Shane smiled and walked off, stowing the mask in a pocket. Thea watched him leave and frowned before walking off in her own direction, heading for Kane's locker room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane walked into his locker room and found Thea standing in front of a cracked full length mirror. She was holding her shirt up, looking at the dark bruises that marred the pale flesh of her stomach. As he watched, she poked one of them and sucked her breath in as a hiss.

He came up behind her and she jumped once she noticed him. His strong arms wrapped around her, holding her close while one of his hands pressed itself gently against her stomach. It hurt him to see her wince in pain.

"Did you find anyone?" Thea asked, turning her head slightly.

"No..." Kane growled gently. "But they will be found...the stink of their guilt will lead me to them and then I will send them all to Hell...for you..."  
Thea nodded and looked back at the mirror, seeing the bruises on her arms and on her stomach. Kane's eyes narrowed as he looked at the reflection of the two of them.

"I should have prevented this in the first place," he muttered. "It's my fault you're like this...it's my fault you're in so much pain."

"No..." Thea whispered, putting a hand over his, linking her fingers with his. "It's not your fault...I should have known better than to have been so cocky...I am not on everyone's good side and the enemies I have...they'd rather have me out of the picture."

"And you don't remember who the leader was?" Kane demanded.

Thea shook her head sadly. "I...I can't remember anything except the pain...and his voice hissing those words in my ear as the darkness closed in..." She shuddered in his arms. "I'm sorry that I can't remember Kane...maybe it'll come back to me if I step in the ring again..."

"You are not stepping into the ring until the culprits are broken just like they broke you and my brother," Kane stated. "And not until the marks of their treachery are gone..."

Thea sighed and pulled her shirt down, covering the mottled bruises. "I just don't think you should be out there alone...I want to help."

"You can help by staying out of it and try to remember who the leader was." Kane smirked. "And I'm not alone. The Undertaker is back and he's ready to deal out the hand of justice upon the vermin who attacked you at No Mercy."

"Be careful," Thea whispered. "If something bad happens to you – either of you – I'll -"  
"Nothing is going to happen," Kane cut across her. "You just let us take care of this and recover from your injuries. Then you can join us if you want."

"Like Kari."

"Yes."

"I'll think about it." Thea turned in his arms and looked up at him. "Don't you have a match against someone very cocky?"

"I have a match against CM Punk and I plan to make him suffer because he may have had a hand in the atrocity of No Mercy." His eyes darkened as he stared at the mirror. "It will be my pleasure to destroy him and his puppets."

A small smile touched her lips as she looked up at him. "Go and destroy him then. I'll see you after the show."  
Kane pressed his lips against her forehead and then walked off. Once out of the camera's view, he turned and looked back at Thea. She sighed and looked back at the cracked mirror, checking out her stomach again.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea was waiting for Glenn when he exited his locker room after defeating CM Punk. The man had admitted to being part of the attack on Thea and the Undertaker with Luke and Serena, but he swore that he didn't know who the leader of the attack had been. Apparently, it had all been set up by phone and money had been wired into the masked assistants accounts after the attack. And CM Punk also swore that he and the SES family had not touched Thea during the whole attack. He put all blame on the masked leader and NXT.

"Well, that's eleven people we know for sure that had a hand in No Mercy," Thea said, adjusting the collar of her Viper jacket. "And there's still more to uncover."

"All we need is for the leader to be discovered and the rest of them will be revealed through him," Glenn muttered, taking her hand as they started to walk through the backstage area. "And then we can deal with the leader permanently and let him be an example for the others of what could happen if they decide to lead another unscripted attack on another wrestler."

"Yeah, I'd rather not see someone else go through what I went through," Thea muttered, touching her stomach. "After seeing the tapes...I'm surprised that I'm not still in a hospital bed."

"You're a fast healer," Glenn pointed out.

"With help from you. I like the physical therapy you put me through because you have just the right amount of patience and..." She smiled at him. "The gentlest hands I have ever felt."

Glenn smirked and released her hand, choosing to wrap an arm around her shoulders instead. He was glad that he made her feel comfortable in physical therapy with him. It was his job to slowly ease her back into wrestling after a serious 'accident' like she'd experienced and she was doing well. As long as no one hit her too hard in her abdomen or she didn't put too much strain on it during the practice exercises, she was fine. He knew that he had to focus on strengthening her core slowly, so that by the time she got to go back into the ring, she'd be back on the top of her game.

Kari was the first person to see them as they exited the arena. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed his arm around Thea's shoulders in more than a supporting fashion. Glenn watched her lift a finger and point at the two of them.

"Oh my God!" Kari exclaimed, attracting the attention of the wrestlers who had decided to stick around and chat outside. "It's finally happened! You two are together!"  
Thea reached over and smacked Kari upside the head. "Thanks for announcing it to the world Kari."

"Sorry, I didn't know you wanted it kept a secret," Kari muttered, rubbing her head. "Because if that's what you wanted, I would have decided to broadcast it all over the web. No one ever checks out anything on the web these days."

Glenn rolled his eyes and started leading Thea away from the group of wrestlers. He didn't feel like talking to them about something that had been going on since Thea had left the hospital a couple of weeks ago. They'd talk about it when they felt it was right and right now, he was more concerned about getting her back to the hotel where he'd force her to rest because in the morning, she was leaving for a four day vacation with her family and he was going with her.

"Kari, if you do that, I'll personally kill you!" Thea said as the blonde started following them towards Glenn's car. "There won't be any need for NXT to show up, except maybe to pull me off of your corpse."

"C'mon Thea!" Kari whined, jumping in front of them. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. A younger girl can date an older man and no one will judge you if you two really love each other. Of course, some jealous men might call Glenn a cradle robber and jealous girls might – oh that's right, no one is going to be jealous that you got Glenn, so scratch that."  
"You're really annoying," Glenn muttered. "You do know that, right?"

"And you're really grumpy," Kari shot back. "You're actually worse than Dave when he acts like he has something spiky shoved up his ass and that, my grumpy giant friend, is a miracle."

"We're not friends," Glenn told her, walking around her with Thea attached to his arm.

"Whatever." Kari grumbled. "We'll see what you'll be saying when you need to buy something awesome for Thea and have to know what she likes without asking her. You'll need me Mister!"

"Right."

Thea gave him a serious look as he opened the car door for her. "Don't buy me anything except the occasional dinner. I really don't like receiving presents."

"Why?"

"Two years in a row, Lee gave me some really gross things as presents," Thea explained, slipping into the car. "It pretty much made me distrust presents."

"Oh." Glenn shut the door and turned to find Kari standing there. "What do you want?"

"I want to know how long you two have been together," Kari stated, crossing her arms. "Because Mark hasn't told me anything about either of you in a very long time. Two weeks! Do you know what two weeks in the dark will do to a person? You have to give me some answers."

Glenn shook his head and walked around her. "Sometimes you just have to deal with being in the dark. Give people their privacy."  
"Privacy? Never heard of it."  
"Well you better learn about it. And stay out of my business with Thea." Glenn climbed into the driver's seat and closed the door on Kari's grumpy face. "I really hate some of your friends."

"You'll learn to tolerate her," Thea assured him as he started the car and backed out of his parking spot. "After awhile."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea bumped her elbow against Glenn's arm, trying to distract him as they played SmackDown vs Raw 2009. She let out a cheer when she managed to make her character pin his for the win. Glenn smirked as he watched her dance around a bit. Thea smiled and tossed her controller aside, turning the game off and then switching the TV off.

"I kicked your butt!" she laughed, plopping down on the bed next to him. "I believe that makes me a threat to you."

"Only in video games," Glenn muttered.

Thea nudged him and cocked her head to one side. "Hey...smile...It's just the two of us and you can smile. No one is going to judge you here and if they do, it's only because I love you."  
"Shane told me about Mike giving you the mask," Glenn commented. "He thinks that Mike only said it was Chris' to try to throw us off the trail...Why didn't you tell me that you thought it was Mike?"

Thea sighed and sat on her knees. "Because I want to believe that people can change. I know Mike hasn't touched alcohol since I came to the WWE. He didn't want to make the same mistake he made before with someone else and I want to believe that he kept his promise. But the words that the masked man hissed – _this ought to teach you not to sick your pets on me, little girl –_ all point to him because you and the others attacked him when you found out that he was the one who attacked me the first time." She ran a hand through her hair. "I just don't know anything about him anymore."

Glenn was silent for a moment. "Do you still have feelings for him?"

Thea shook her head. "Mike...he was the first person I've dated and I never really loved him. I was just with him because I was comfortable around him, he treated me nice, and I thought that maybe I'd grow into loving him one day. That's before he started showing me what he really was when he got his hands on any form of alcohol that he could down. Abuse, it doesn't make a person love you. It just makes you hate the abuser and yourself. So do I have feelings for Mike? No, but that doesn't mean that I will automatically let people jump on him for something he did in his past. Maybe someone was setting him up."

"Who would have the gall to attack you and Mark besides him? You said you smelled alcohol on his breath and you know firsthand what Mike is capable of when he has alcohol in his system." Glenn shook his head and took one of her hands. "Thea, you have to see that the evidence all points to Mike. Why else would he try to pin the mask on someone else?"

"I told you that I don't know anything about him anymore. If you believe so strongly that he did it, then tell Shane or Teddy. Let them deal with it because frankly, I want to be done with this as soon as possible. I want this in my past, just like the first incident and leave it there."

"Thea...I'm just trying to put the bastard who hurt you where he belongs."

"I know. And it's really sweet that you're concerned about me, but you're going to wear yourself out if you keep this up. They have people looking into the whole situation, so you can take a step back and breathe." She gave his hand a firm squeeze. "I don't get to spend much time with you since you're always out looking for clues and now that I'm your girlfriend, I take that a little more seriously than I normally would have."

Glenn looked at her with a look in his eyes that made her feel warm all over. "I'll spend more time with you then. I'll even spoil you if you want."

Thea giggled. "You? Spoil me? I don't see how you could since I put a 'no present' ban on you."

"There are other ways."

Glenn pulled Thea closer to him, so that she was straddling his lap on her knees and gave her a serious kiss. Thea kissed him back, pulling him closer to her. She really liked these kisses. They were even better in reality than they were in her dreams and she found that she couldn't get enough of them.

She pulled away slowly when the time came to resurface for air, resting her forehead lightly against Glenn's. His hands which were at her hips traveled up her sides, dragging up her t-shirt. Thea trembled under his touch and tried to hide her wince as his fingers ran over some tender areas, but he caught it. He kissed her once more and made her lay down.

"I'm sorry if you had plans," Thea muttered, covering her eyes with a hand. "I guess my tummy's not getting any better."

Glenn's eyes traveled over the bruised skin on Thea's stomach. "The bruises aren't as dark anymore, but they're still causing you pain?"

Thea nodded. His fingers were gentle as they touched her stomach, rubbing it gently. Thea lifted her hand off her eyes and watched him.

"This is nice," she whispered. "I knew you could massage away elbow pain...now tummy pain? It kinds of makes me wonder what you could do with a back massage."

There was a smirk on Glenn's face when he looked at her. "Would you like to find out?"

_Oh God yes! _"Maybe when I can actually lay on my stomach without making faces...but trust me, the offer is a very attractive one right now."

Thea let him work on her stomach in silence for a moment, letting herself watch him move. She felt it coming before it did and tried to stop it, but she couldn't. A yawn escaped her lips and Glenn chuckled.

"Am I keeping you awake, Ms. Andrews?" he asked, his fingers pausing on her stomach.

"No..."

He turned and looked at a clock. "I should be getting back to my room," he muttered.

"Aw..." Thea sat up with a grimace and grabbed his hand. "Can't you stay here tonight?"  
The look in his eyes told her that he wanted nothing more than to spend the night with her, but as long as she was injured, he wasn't going to. He didn't want to cause her more pain and he was sure that having sex with her would do just that.

"No." Glenn said, getting to his feet. "You need your sleep if we're going to be driving for six hours tomorrow. And rest will help you heal."  
"Right. Heal first, party later." Thea muttered, watching him gather his jacket off the floor. "Have I told you that I love you today?"

"Yes."

"In that case, I love you."

He bent down and kissed her tenderly. "I love you too."

Thea watched him walk towards the door. "Goodnight Glenn."

"Goodnight."

Thea smiled and fell back on her bed once the door was closed. "I really love that guy...hm..."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So…not my best chapter, but that's what I get when I started school again. Senior, woo. Let me know what you think about the contents of this chapter. And tell me…is the Miz really the one who did it?**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hi! Long time, no update. Sorry about that, but I've been busy with school, doctors appointments, community service, and church events.**

**I'd like to thank the two people that have reviewed the last chapter I put on here and you know who were! Thanks guys! Now, here's your present!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea hurried out of her room, stuffing her keys in the pocket of her jeans as she headed for the elevator. Her rolling luggage rolled smoothly over the carpeted halls and she pulled it into the elevator with her. She knew she was late getting out of her hotel room, but that was only because her phone hadn't gone off when it was supposed to, so she had slept ten minutes extra.

_That's what I get for not charging my phone regularly_, Thea thought, bouncing on her toes as she watched the numbers on the little display screen descend slowly. _Oh please, don't let Glenn be too upset...He's already going to hear some bad news when he steps outside..._

She stepped out of the elevator and hurried over to the front desk. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Glenn standing off to one side, talking to one of the other wrestlers. He didn't look anymore ticked than he usually did and she counted that as a blessing.

"Did you enjoy your stay here, Ms. Andrews?" the clerk behind the desk asked, a bright smile on her face.

"I did," Thea said, trying to match the lady's smile but failing when Glenn appeared at her side. "Thank you very much."

She handed over her key card and finished talking with the lady at the front desk before turning to look at Glenn. "Hi."

"You're late," Glenn commented, falling into step with her as they headed for the door.

"Sorry," Thea muttered, wincing at the bright sunlight that assaulted her eyes when they stepped out of the building. "My phone didn't go off...it's kind of dead right now..." She glanced at him nervously. "Are you mad?"  
Glenn shook his head. "No."  
"That's good..." Thea sighed and walked around the corner of the front of the hotel to the parking lot. "Now to find my car..."

"THEA!" Kari's voice called out and Thea spotted the girl waving her hands wildly next to a large black car. "OVER HERE!"

Thea bit her bottom lip when she saw Drew and Stephen standing next to the blonde. This was the bad news that she was worried about telling Glenn. The two of them wouldn't be alone in the visit to her father's house.

"What are they doing here?" Glenn demanded, a hard edge coming to his voice.

"Um...they're coming too..." Thea whispered, walking around them and opening the trunk. "Pile your stuff in here guys."

Drew and Stephen complied easily, tucking their things in opposite corners. Kari came over and put her stuff next to Thea's and leaned in close.

"Is Glenn driving?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"For three hours, yes," Thea said, looking down at the blonde. "Why?"

"He's not an aggressive driver, is he?" Kari asked. "And he doesn't suffer from road rage, does he?"

"He doesn't and he isn't," Thea muttered, taking Glenn's bag and stuffing it in the trunk of her car. "He's a very safe driver and he won't get us all killed. So don't worry."

"He's the Big Red Monster, of course I'm going to worry," Kari said, crossing her arms. "If the slightest thing ticks him off, this is going to be one road trip that no one will forget." She smiled. "I think I can help with that."

"Kari, please don't. He's probably already mad enough that you three are here."

"Ooh...does that mean you didn't tell him about us coming along for the ride?" Kari's eyes got wide and an even wider smile crossed her lips. "That is just priceless. Bad communication in the first two weeks of your relationship...I'd almost say that your relationship is doomed to fail, but then I'd have to step back and remember how you two got together...You're just perfect for one another."  
Thea rolled her eyes and pushed Kari back, closing the trunk. "Shut up and behave on the ride to Dad's house. And don't push Glenn's buttons."

"Right."

Kari smirked and slid into the car on Stephen's side because Drew had already gotten in and closed the door. Stephen glanced at Thea and mouthed 'sorry' before climbing in himself. Thea frowned and looked at Glenn, who was staring at her.

"Are you-?"

"Keys." Glenn demanded, holding out a large hand.

Thea reached into her pocket and pulled out her keys. He took them and climbed in the car, starting it. The purple haired phenom sighed and climbed into the passenger seat, biting her bottom lip nervously. Glenn didn't say a word as he pulled the car out of the parking lot and merged with the traffic.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea didn't say much for an hour, only giving Glenn directions that she wasn't sure he actually needed. He didn't speak to her, but she could tell that his anger was simmering. Kari and the boys weren't helping with their complaining about what was going on during the ride.

"Stop touching me!"

"Drew stop staring at me or I'll knock your bloody lights out."

"You stop staring at me!"

Kari also had a habit of screaming, "We're all going to die' whenever Glenn turned a corner or drove too close to semis.

All of the bickering and screaming in the back of the car was starting to give Thea a headache and she was sure that it was doing so much worse to Glenn. Finally in the second hour, she decided enough was enough.

"All of you shut up!" she snapped, turning in her seat to glare at them. "Drew, stop looking at Stephen. Stephen stop bothering Drew. Both of you stop touching Kari. And Kari, stop screaming. You're all giving me a freaking headache!"

"But we're bored," Kari complained, sagging back against her seat between the two boys.

Thea rolled her eyes and reached into the glove box. She withdrew three DSI game systems and showed them to the three in the backseat. "You can play with these until we get to my dad's house."

Kari snatched all three of them and handed one to each of the boys. "Woo! Mario Kart! I call Yoshi! Yoshi is mine!"

The boys had a little squabble about who they were going to play and then they fell silent. Thea sighed in relief and sagged back against her seat, placing a hand over her stomach. Only the silence didn't last.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Kari exclaimed.

"Take that!"

"You suck on that turtle shell!"

"HAHA! You fell for my trap! You're dead now!"  
"That's cheating!"  
"No, it's called 'gaining the upper hand'. Learn it."

"Ha! Squashed ya there! What are ya going to do now?"

Thea's eyes narrowed. "Guys! I said be quiet!"

"But lass, the game is no fun without some serious trash talk," Stephen pointed out.

"Yes love, the game is no fun without some trash talk and accents," Kari said, speaking with a bad British accent. "Hip hip cheerio." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the screen. "Oh Peach, you're going to die for dropping that banana peel in my way!"

"I'm not sorry for it!" Drew said, mashing buttons with a serious look on his face.

"Can you at least keep your voices down?" Thea asked with a glance over at Glenn. "Glenn doesn't need any distractions when driving."

"Why is he that bad at driving?" Kari asked, not looking up from her screen.

"You're asking to walk the rest of the way," Thea muttered. "So, all of you better keep your voices down or I'm going to come back there and kick all of you out the door onto the highway and let you become road kill."

The three in the back seat fell silent quickly and all that could be heard was the sound of them mashing buttons and the quiet sounds of the video game.

Thea turned in her seat and looked at Glenn. She didn't like the silence that had developed between the two of them. She didn't want him to be mad at her.

"Glenn?" she whispered.

"What?"

"Are you mad at me?" she asked.

He was silent which Thea took as him saying 'yes'.

"It wasn't my plan for the three of them to come with us," Thea explained, looking away from him. "Dad and the boys were chatting and he invited them over with Kari. I didn't find out until one of them called me last night."

"It was me," Drew commented.

"And I couldn't tell you because my phone was dead and I put it on the charger, but it didn't charge so I couldn't warn you in the morning...I thought we'd just get to spend some time together in my hometown and not be bothered by anyone except Lee...But thanks to Kari being Dad's 'second daughter' and the boys being as close as sons, he wanted the whole 'family' over without giving me a warning."

Glenn glanced at her and sighed. "Without warning..."

"Dad's spontaneous. An idea just occurs to him and he acts on it. It wouldn't take much prodding from the bunch behind us to convince him to let them spend a few nights over at the house." She picked at a hole in her jeans. "I don't think they're going to be there the whole time."

"Yes we are." Drew said.

"And I'm sure we'll be able to find some alone time."

"No you won't." Kari muttered.

"And I think we can make some plans without them."

"Don't count on it," Stephen commented.

"Can you three stay out of my conversation with my boyfriend?" Thea demanded, glaring over her shoulder at the three of them.

"Sorry," the three said.

Thea sighed and leaned back in her seat. "I'll make this work out and we'll spend as much time as physically possible together. I promise."

"No you won't," someone whispered.

"All right, who said that?" Thea demanded, turning around in her seat to glare. "Who is losing their DSI?"  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn pulled up to a gas station and turned the car off. "This is our only stop until we get to Markus' house," he told the people in the backseat. "Use it wisely."

The three in the back looked at each other and quickly climbed out, heading off in their own directions. Thea slipped out of her seat and stretched for a moment. Glenn started putting gas in the car when Thea came over and leaned against the car next to him.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked, touching his arm gently. "A drink? A hot sandwich?"

"Get me a Coke," Glenn requested.

Thea nodded and leaned in through the driver's side window, reaching for her purse. Glenn couldn't help but check out her butt and wasn't ashamed when she caught him looking. She smiled at him and walked across the gas station parking lot and into the building.

He knew that she hadn't planned on the others being there with them. She had been going on and on for awhile about the plans she had for them at her father's house. There hadn't been any mention of friends coming to rain on their parade.

What he really wanted to do was just be with Thea. He wanted to see what made her smile in her own house. He wanted to be part of her entire world and be accepted as part of the family. He wanted to meet the brother who had started his love on the path that had led her to him. He wanted to see who her friends were outside of WWE and prove to them that he was worthy of Thea's heart.

"Here ya go," Thea said, appearing at his side.

She handed over a Coke and put the sandwiches in her hands on the dashboard before popping open her own drink. Glenn watched her for a moment.

"Are you still mad at me?" she asked, looking up at him.

"No." Glenn wrapped an arm around her waist and placed a small kiss on her brow. "I can't be mad at you for long."

Thea smiled and brushed her lips against his. Glenn kissed her, tasting cherry on her lips and he knew she had done that on purpose. She knew that he loved cherry and he had seen her buy a dozen cherry flavored lip gloss containers earlier that week. And he could feel one of them pressed against his leg as he pulled her against him, deepening the kiss.

"Ew!" Kari's voice broke through the perfect moment. "We didn't come along to witness some gross PDA from you two!"

Thea pulled her lips away from his and glanced in the direction of her friend. "You came without asking either of us, so you're going to have to stand some PDA. How do you think I feel when you're with Mark?"  
"Hey, our PDA is nothing like yours," Kari snapped, crossing her arms. "We hold hands and we hug. You don't see us sucking face in front of dozens of people."

"Just close friends," Thea shot back. Kari's eyes narrowed and Glenn thought she was going to throw the drink in her hand at Thea. "Get in the car Kari and keep your mouth shut. I'm driving and I'm not against slamming on the brakes and sending people flying through the windshield if they piss me off."

Kari glowered and climbed into the car, slamming the door behind her. Thea sighed and looked back at Glenn.

"I think some of Kane's evil is rubbing off on me," she commented.

Glenn smirked. "I think so too."

"Am I cuter when I'm mad or am I cuter drunk?" Thea asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Mad."

"Good answer."

She slipped out of his embrace and opened the driver's side door as the other two got in the car. Glenn walked around and climbed into the vehicle, closing the door. He had a feeling that things were going to get a bit interesting.

Thea put her shades on and started the car. "Who wants to bet that I can get us to my dad's place in under three hours?" she asked, driving away from the gas station.

"With or without killing us all?" Drew asked.

Thea laughed and floored the gas pedal as she pulled onto the highway. Glenn glanced at her and felt a smirk appear on his face. He sure knew how to pick them.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stopped the car outside a large house in a long driveway right behind a large pickup truck and a blue sports car. Glenn looked out across the yard and saw a couple of dogs rolling around on the grass. Thea sighed and looked at the house with a small smile on her face.

"Home," she breathed.

Drew and Stephen climbed out of the car, laughing as Kari fell out of the vehicle after them. She glared at them and walked over to the trunk, tapping it impatiently. Thea clicked a button and the trunk popped open for them to get their things.

The front door opened to the house and two people came out. One Glenn recognized as Markus and he was glad to see that the man was no longer on crutches. The other was a raven haired man with piercing blue eyes just like Markus. Judging by the scar on the man's chin, Glenn guessed he was looking at Lee, Thea's older brother.

"Drew, Sheamus!" Lee called, waving a hand as he held a video camera in his other hand. "Long time, no see."

The two men muttered something and gathered their things out of the back of the car. Kari shouldered her bag and marched up the walk towards Thea's family members. She held her hand out to Lee.

"Hi, I'm your other sister, Kari," she said. "But you can refer to me as The Fallen Warrior if you want. Or just The. Or TFW. I really don't care."  
Thea was taking her time in getting her things. Glenn reached into the trunk and pulled out his bag, grabbing hers too.

"You don't have to do that," she whispered, brushing her arm against his as she closed the trunk.

"I'm allowed to do some nice things for you," Glenn whispered back, heading up the walk after everyone else.

Markus had a smile on his face as he hugged Kari and shook hands with Drew and Stephen. "Welcome back to the house boys. The bunk beds are still in the same room as they were the last time you came here."

Stephen and Drew looked at each other. "I call the top bunk," the both said, glaring at one another.

"Looks like we're going to have a wrestling match right here to see who gets the top bunk," Lee said, a large smile plastered across his face. "I'll be ref."

Thea rolled her eyes and snaked her arm through Glenn's. Her dad caught that action and noticed that Glenn didn't shy away from her touch.

"I see you two are finally together," he said, a smile to match Lee's crossing his face. "I told Lee that it would happen eventually but he didn't believe me."

"It's not my fault that I don't like to think about my sister shagging Kane," Lee muttered, recording the impromptu wrestling match that was taking place on the front lawn. "He's evil and two times older than her."  
Thea rolled her eyes and kicked her brother playfully. "Where's my hug, bub?"

"You'll get one later," Lee promised. "I'm busy right now. Hey Drew! No biting!"

"Thea, you'll show Glenn where the other guest bedroom is, won't you?" Markus asked of his daughter. "And Kari, she'll be sleeping in your room with you."

"But Dad -" Thea complained.

"Thea, I know that you and Glenn are mature adults, but I'm still your father. There will be no coed sleeping in this house unless you're married." Markus looked Glenn dead in the eye. "You understand, don't you, Glenn?"

"Yes." Glenn said.

Thea rolled her eyes and pulled her arm back. "Whatever."

"Now where's my hug?" Markus asked, holding his arms open.

Thea jumped into his arms and wrapped him in a hug that was impossibly tight. "I've missed you Daddy. We've got loads to talk about."

"Yes, yes we do." Markus agreed and Glenn caught the hint of sadness in the man's voice.

Thea released her father and looked back at Glenn, motioning for him to follow her into the house. She stooped to take her shoes off as she entered the house and took her bag from him so he could remove his. Then she lead him through the living room and down a hall whose walls were covered in pictures of the family. She skipped a room baring the name 'Thea' and wandered down the hall to a room with a photo of a pressed flower on the door.

"I guess you'll be spending the week in here," she muttered, opening the door. "It's not much, but you'll have your own TV if you don't feel like sharing with the others."

Glenn looked around the room that was decorated in a more homely style than any of the hotels he'd stayed in throughout his whole career. She left him there to put away his things, but he really didn't feel like unpacking, so he left his bag open on the bed and wandered back down the hall to the room that bore the name 'Thea'.

The walls – or what little of them that could be seen – were purple and were littered with posters of bands and celebrities. Photos dotted the walls too, taped at the corners and bore people that he didn't recognize. Lesser known wrestlers from other companies were in some of the photos and some were drawn out on pieces of worn paper. In the same corner that an electric keyboard sat, photos of WWE wrestlers dotted the wall next to drawn counterparts. He could make out Drew in his old entrance attire and Sheamus holding a championship belt. Maria and Matt were embracing and looked so happy in their own little world. And he got chills looking at the drawing she had drawn of the Undertaker doing the last part of his entrance.

His eyes scanned over the drawings that started where the wall met the ceiling down to the keyboard and landed on a drawing of him. There were chains around his body and there was pain in his drawn face. Glenn squinted and could make out the ghost of wings sprouting out of his back.

"So, you noticed my wall of people that I idolize," Thea commented, making her presence known.

"Did you draw these?" Glenn asked, gesturing at the drawings.

"Most of them," Thea admitted with a nod. "I didn't draw some of the girls because Lee saw what I was doing and decided he wanted to add some of his own drawings to the wall. No one can really tell the difference though." She sighed and touched the drawing of Kane. "I don't know what was in my head when I drew this...I just saw you in a match against Undertaker and you seemed really upset after it and I don't know...It just came out this way."

"It's...interesting," Glenn commented, taking her hand.

She looked up at him and gave him a soft smile. "Thanks..."

He wanted to kiss her but he could hear someone coming down the hall. Seconds later, Kari popped in with a sucker in her mouth and she looked around the room with a frown on her face.

"This is your room?" she asked.

"Yeah," Thea said. "Why?"

"You...are really into your arts," Kari commented, setting her bag down on the floor. "You act, you play music, you sing, you dance, and now you draw. What _can't_ you do?"

Thea blinked. "Well, I can't exactly snap my fingers."

"Really?" Glenn looked surprised.

Thea gave him a look that Kari didn't catch because the girl was sticking her head in the closet in search of a sleeping bag. "I can't. I've tried and given up. Besides, I don't see the point in snapping. Rude people do that when they want attention from a waitress...I just don't get it."

"You're not human if you can't snap," Kari commented, pulling out a large black and gold sleeping bag. "But at least this proves that you are not a goddess among men." She looked at Glenn. "And what are you doing in here, Glenn? This is the girl's room."

"Your point?" Glenn asked, releasing Thea's hand.

"Markus doesn't want any coed bedrooms. And you're a man. A giant, grumpy man," Kari said. "We are girls. Hot, talented girls. So, you should get out of here. Go watch TV or play with the dogs. Introduce yourself to Lee and have a chat with him. Just stay out of this room."

"Since when are you the boss?" Glenn demanded. "This is Thea's house and you're the guest."

"I'm her self-proclaimed sister. You must obey me. Now shoo! I have to call Mark to tell him that I survived your driving, only to be nearly killed by Thea's." Kari plopped down on Thea's bed and pulled out her cell phone, dialing Mark's number. "Well, go."

"You should go unpack," Thea said with a small frown. "I have to unpack myself and see what Dad plans to do about dinner with five grown men staying under one roof."

Glenn nodded and gave her a quick kiss before Kari could shout at him again. He turned and walked out of the room to come face to face with a video camera. Lee smirked at him.

"Hello Kane," Lee said. "What are your plans for my baby sister?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea rubbed Sadie's belly as the dog snuggled up against her on the front porch. She'd been talking with Lee and her father out here for awhile now and had been caught up to speed on what had happened since she'd been away. She knew there wasn't much that they didn't know about her life since it was so public now.

"Have they caught the bastards that attacked you yet?" Markus asked, sitting on the porch swing.

"No. Some people have been named, but we still don't know who orchestrated the whole thing," Thea admitted, not meeting her father's gaze. "We're all looking, but so far, no one's really talking. It's just one big mystery that's costing WWE a lot of money."

"I already know who did it," Lee commented. "And I know it wasn't the Miz. It was someone else."

"Is this another one of your conspiracy theories?" Thea inquired, glancing at her brother as he leaned against the railing of the porch.

"Yeah." Lee smirked. "I think the Miz was set up by someone who is seriously pissed at you. They knew that everyone would look at the Miz because he's the one who attacked you the first time. He was attacked by Kane and some of your other friends. Who else would want to have some revenge on your butt after that? But they weren't counting on the fact that you knew the Miz had given up alcohol and they didn't consider the fact that they weren't built like the Miz. It's clearly not the Miz in the tapes beating the living daylight out of you. It's someone slimmer and more devious."

"Like who?" Thea asked.

"All my bets go towards Dolph Ziggler."

Markus snorted. "That man doesn't have the brains for something like the attack on Thea. And he doesn't have the courage to face down so many Superstars. Admit it, you just don't like Dolph and prefer the Miz even after what he did to your sister."

"Not going to happen Dad," Lee said, looking away. "I'm positive that Dolph Ziggler was the one that attacked my baby sister and when it comes back to us that he is the one that did it, I'm not going to hold back in saying 'I told you so'."

Thea laughed which made Sadie lift her head up and bark. "God, I miss listening to you two going on about what heel you don't like and the random conspiracy theories. Then again, I miss a lot of things about home when I'm traveling. Like Dad's barbeque ribs and looking through Mom's recipes for desserts..."

"Well...you could come back home," Markus commented. "We miss having you around."

"I couldn't do that," Thea muttered, looking at him. "I have to train and go through physical therapy with the rest of the wrestlers. And I'm in the middle of a storyline with Glenn. I just can't say 'I need a break because I'm homesick guys' and come home for an extended period of time. That would mess up a lot of things in the WWE."

Lee looked at Markus. "Dad, you should just tell her."

"I guess I should," Markus agreed with a heavy sigh.

"Tell me what?" Thea asked, confused.

Markus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as the swing swayed gently. "Thea, I want you to stop wrestling."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Ooh…I think I'm going to leave it off right there for awhile. So there's been mentions of conspiracy theories, backseat conversations, and the new fact about Thea stating that she can't snap…And now Markus doesn't want her to wrestle? **

**Let's hear your opinions about this chapter. Did you like it? Do you agree with Lee when he says Mike is being set up? Did you find humor in any of this? Can't wait for the next chapter?**

**Well, you're going to have to wait for the next update because I can only type so much in my crammed schedule these days. I'll try to get an update up at the beginning of each week. So, here's hoping for some good reviews! Thanks! ~ Scarlet **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys. I was bombarded with six different projects for Spanish 2, two major Physics tests, a College Algebra test, and I had to attend a board meeting. Not fun, but I managed.**

**NEWS: Drew McIntyre married Tiffany in May in Las Vegas and Tiffany is now suspended pending an arrest. And Serena, CM Punk's favorite girl, was released from her contract the day before her last appearance. Both of these events I will ignore until later chapters like I'm ignoring the current feud between Undertaker and Kane. It will come, but not until later.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea couldn't believe what her father had just said. "You want me to do what?"

"I want you to stop wrestling," Markus repeated, staring her dead in the eye.

"That's what I thought you said…" Thea muttered, pulling her hand back into her lap. "Dad, I can't stop wrestling. I won't stop wrestling. It's my life and I…I thought you supported that."

"I do, or I did, but Thea, I can't do it anymore," Markus said, looking away. "I can't keep watching you get thrown around like some doll. I can't keep watching you get beat within an inch of your life every time you step into a ring."

"Dad, I don't get beat within an inch of my life every time I step in a ring," Thea mumbled, but she knew that it wouldn't make a difference to him.

"Thea, you don't know how hard it was for me to look at the television screen with my friends and your brother when No Mercy was on," Markus continued. "I saw all the blood and I saw the viciousness of their attacks…And I couldn't look away because it was my baby girl that was being attacked…You were so many miles away from me and I knew that by the time that I got there, the fight would be over and those bastards would be back in their normal routine like nothing had ever happened…" He sighed. "And my friends tried to tell me that it was all staged, but there was too much blood and the whole arena knew that it wasn't staged…I knew it wasn't staged – that my baby was being attacked with all the viciousness of man for a second time and there wasn't anything I could do."

"Dad, I'm okay." Thea whispered, silently willing herself not to cry.

"You're not okay," Lee muttered, speaking up for the first time in several minutes. "I've seen the bruises and I've watched the match a number of times. There's no way you can be _okay _after a beating like that. After _two _beatings not even the Undertaker would be okay…So, don't put on a brave face for us."

"Lee…I'm not going to run away from something that I love because of another attack…I don't care how much pain I'm in. I'm an athlete. We break bones and get concussions, but we're right there with our championship belts with smiles on our faces…This…this is nothing."

"Sis, it's everything. Some bastard has it in his head that you need to be taught a lesson and you haven't seemed to have learned it. If you had, you wouldn't be wrestling anymore…Not with the boys."

"Oh, is that what you really want?" Thea demanded, getting to her feet. "You want me to stop wrestling the boys or give up wrestling completely…Well, I'm going to tell you that I'd rather give up wrestling than go back to wrestling just girls again. I've made up far too much ground to retreat because some jerk can't get it through his head that I can wrestle boys better than he can. I put too much energy into the whole damn sport!"

"If you feel so strongly about continuing the same thing you've always done, then I think it's time for you to stop." Markus stated, watching her with sad eyes. "Get out before you get in too deep and before I get the phone call that you aren't going to be waking up in the morning."

"Dad…it's like you in the army…you don't want to give that up."

"I'm retiring from the army Thea," Markus told her. "I'm done with putting my life in danger because I want to be around to see you get married and have children. I want to live to see Lee make movies. I want to die long before you do so I don't feel the heartbreak that a father should never feel."

"I'm not going to die…" Thea breathed.

"If you continue to wrestle, there's no telling what could happen to you." Markus reached for her. "I don't want to lose you to the hands of someone who isn't worth the air he breathes. I don't want to get that call in the morning that says I'll never see you walk across a television screen again or hear your laugh over the phone. I can't do it."

"I'm not going to die." Thea repeated, pulling her arm back, not wanting him to touch her. "They're going to find the person that attacked me and they're going to make sure that nothing like this happens again. Not to me or anyone else."

"I can't chance it," Markus said, getting to his feet too. "I can't go through what I went through, seeing you broken on the floor…bleeding, unconscious, and growing colder by the minute…I can't do it Thea! I won't do it again!"  
"I'm not giving up wrestling!" Thea cried. "Without wrestling, I have nothing!"

"You'll have your life."

"I made a promise that I'd-!"

"I don't care what promises you made to Damon. He's dead," Markus stated. "Keeping a few promises won't bring him back."

Thea's bottom lip quivered and Lee got to his feet.

"Dad, you may have gone too far," he commented quietly. He turned and touched Thea's arm. "Sis, we just don't want you to get hurt anymore and the fans are going to remember you as one of the greatest Divas in history."

"I'm _not _quitting!" Thea snapped, her eyes swimming with tears. "I don't care what you say. I don't care if you don't support me anymore. I'm not giving up my job – my _**life**_– just because someone has you scared for my safety. I'm going to keep wrestling until I'm old and wrinkly and I'm going to keep wrestling men – big, muscular men! And there's nothing you can do about it, Dad."

Thea pulled away from Lee and marched inside the house, closing the door behind her. She ignored the guilty looks on Kari, Stephen, and Drew's faces as she looked across the living room at Glenn.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn saw Thea looking at him from across the living room. He had no clue what was going on unlike the other three who had pressed their ears against the door to listen in on the conversation that took place outside. But he could see that whatever had transpired outside had left her upset and he didn't like that.

She turned and slunk off down the hall, looking like the world had done her so much wrong in such a short time period. Her brother came in and called her name, but her only answer was to slam the door to her bedroom.

"You two really stepped in it this time," Drew commented, smirking as he leaned back on the couch.

"Oh shut up," Lee muttered, glaring at the Scot

"You know she's not going to want to quit no matter what happens," Stephen chipped in. "She's got a lot more fight in her than people give her credit for."

"Again, shut up!" Lee snapped before looking at Glenn. "Do you think she'll listen to you, Kane?"

"Probably not," Glenn said, hearing something shatter in Thea's room.

"Can you at least try?"

Glenn got to his feet and walked down the hall to Thea's room. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but it opened before his fist neared it. Thea, now clad in jeans and a short jacket, slid past him and stormed down the hall once more.

"Thea," Glenn said, following her into the living room.

She ignored him and pulled her shoes on before opening the front door. Markus called her name and the dogs chased after her, but Thea didn't stop walking. She disappeared into the darkness down the street.

"Damn it…" Markus cursed, looking out into the darkness after his daughter. "I hate it when she runs off."

"Where do you think she went?" Glenn asked, taking a step onto the stairs.

"She could be heading anywhere," Markus muttered, running a hand through his graying hair. "But my best guess is that she went beyond the abandoned barn down the street…She likes sitting by the creek when she's upset."

"I found a flashlight," Lee announced, coming outside. "Which way did she go, Dad?"

"Towards the old barn," Markus said, glancing at his son. "But I don't think you should go after her. She's pissed at us."

"We just told her what we thought was best for her," Lee commented. "We can't help it if she takes things so hard…It was just an opinion…"

"You know your sister is very sensitive. She probably thought we were ambushing her and -"

"Bringing up Damon was a really bad move Dad. If anything, you've made this a lot worse. Me, I was going for a gentler approach."

"If you say so."

Glenn shook his head and stole the flashlight from Lee. "I'll go find her."

The two other men didn't say anything more, watching him walk off into the night. He turned the flashlight on when he reached the road and followed it, trying to remember where the abandoned barn had been when Thea had driven them there. One of the dogs – Scorpio, if he remembered right – followed him, sniffing the air and bumped his head against Glenn's free hand. The dog woofed and trotted towards a rotting barn about a half mile away from the house, wagging his tail excitedly.

Glenn walked up the small incline that led to the barn and walked past it, following the dog. The little beam of light coming from the flashlight fell on the shape of his rookie. She didn't look at him or the dog as they sat down next to her. The dog made a small whining noise and bumped his head against the hand that was draped over her knee, begging for attention. Glenn decided that wasn't the best way to get her attention.

"Thea, I know what your family wants you to do," Glenn said, jumping right into the conversation.

"And what do you think about it?" Thea asked, her voice a little hollow. "Knowing that they want me to quit the thing that's been a major part of my life for years?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, part of me wants you to quit too," Glenn admitted, looking out at the creek under the moonlight as he turned the flashlight off. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her giving him a weird look and saw the stains of tears that had streamed down her face. "Yes Thea, I wanted you to quit when I saw what happened to you again and again on that TV screen. I want to keep you from getting hurt again because seeing you in that kind of pain, it kills me a little bit more each time. And I know I can't be there to protect you all the time. No one can."

"Glenn –"

"But I know that you were born to wrestle. It's in your blood and being away from it for a long time kills you like it does to me. I'm like you. You don't just _want_ to wrestle, you _need_ to," Glenn continued, cutting her off. "And I know that every time you get beaten down, you rise up again, stronger than before. You come back better and with more determination to prove to the world that you are strong and will never back down."

"So, you don't want me to give up wrestling?" Thea asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I want you to stay out of the ring until you're completely healed and until we catch the bastard who led the attack on you," Glenn said, glancing at her. "After that, you can beat up as many Superstars and Divas as you want. Deal?"

"Okay, deal." Thea fell back against the ground and put a hand over her stomach. "I just don't see how my own father and brother could take away their support of me just because I want to wrestle after this attack. I thought they wanted me to make it big."

"They're just worried about you."

"Worried people don't tell the person they're worried about to give up something that has been a huge part of their life. And I get that they're scared about my safety because this has been the second time that I've been attacked brutally, but I expected them to just want justice to be served and that'd be the end of it. Telling me to quit is a bit drastic, don't you think?"

Glenn shrugged. "I can't speak for your family. I'm not as close to you as they are yet, but I understand their concern. They don't like seeing you get beat senseless, no one does. It takes a coldhearted person to not feel some concern for you."

"But they didn't have a problem with me continuing to wrestle after the first incident…"

"This is the second time though. No one expects a second attack, especially one that's more brutal than the first. There's no way to prepare yourself for another call that says your loved one is in the hospital in critical condition. Accepting that your loved one is going to do something dangerous once is hard enough after an attack, but twice? That's asking for a lot."

"They knew what they were getting into when the reality of wrestling was brought down on their worlds," Thea muttered, glaring up at the sky. "They accepted broken legs, broken noses, and sprained ankles, pulled muscles, and those kinds of injuries without flinching. They accepted each injury as part of the cost of wrestling, but when the bumps become serious bruises and there's some heavy bleeding, that's when they decide to throw in the towel and call it quits…I seriously don't get this."

"You could always talk to them and ask for answers that you have questions for," Glenn pointed out. "They'd have the answers you need and you'd actually work the problem out with them instead of running away and letting it grow worse."

Thea frowned at him. "I don't want to talk to them. They'll just tell me to quit again."

"Then you could talk to them about why you can't quit." He smirked. "You can't take the child's way forever."

"Don't you mean 'cowardly' way?"

"After watching you, I don't think there's a cowardly bone in your body."

"Well, there's at least one." She sighed and looked up at the stars. "I just don't like dealing with problems…I run away from things that bother me and try to shove it into the dark corners of my mind until I have no choice but to deal with them."  
"It's only going to get harder to talk about it if you continue to avoid it and you could even end up hating either one of them if you don't get this problem resolved soon."

"Look who's trying to fill the boots of the Undertaker with all this wisdom talk," Thea whispered before sitting up. "I guess I have no real choice…I'm going to be stuck here for another three days and there's no way I can avoid them for more than a few hours…You know, you're way too smart about this kind of thing."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it just means you've learned this lesson one too many times." Thea scooted closer to him and rested her head against his shoulder. "You're going to have to tell me the stories about the morals you've learned sometime. Like a bedtime story, only not as corny."  
Glenn nodded and looked out at the peaceful countryside, hoping he had done some good today.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They stayed at the creek for an hour according to Thea's cell phone, just talking and enjoying each other's company. No one was waiting up for them when they walked up the drive way to her front porch and no one was waiting in the living room for them.

"I guess they all went to bed early," Thea muttered with a small shake of her head as she released his hand. "That's what they get for waking up so early this morning, I suppose."

"You're not tired?" Glenn asked.

"No." She looked away from him when she tried to mask a yawn. "I'm not _that _tired."

"You've had a long day. You should get some sleep," Glenn told her, grabbing her hand once more and pulling her down the hall towards her room. "And in the morning, I want you to find some time to talk with your father and brother. So, if I was in your place, I'd think about what I need to say."

Thea gave him a look as they came to a stop outside of her door. "Do I have to talk to them? Can't I just-?"

"Yes, you have to talk to them."

"Okay." Her eyes suddenly narrowed as the sound of music being played came from her room. "That had better not be what I think it is."

Glenn pushed open the door and peeked in the room. Kari was running her fingers over the keys of Thea's electric piano, attempting to play a song. She glanced over her shoulder at them and frowned.

"It's about time you came back," she said, turning around completely. "I've been waiting for over an hour for you to decide that being AWOL was not such a good idea after all. And you –" Her eyes landed on Glenn. "You were supposed to talk with her, convince her to come back, and then bring her back in a timely manner. And you –" She looked at Thea. "You weren't supposed to run away when your family _suggested_ that you quit. We Diva-Superstars do **not **run away from anything. Now, do both of you understand what was supposed to happen?"

She didn't wait for an answer before standing up and heading for the sleeping bag on the floor. "Since, I'm feeling like a good friend right now that's trying to understand why you two do what you do, I think I have a deal for you."

"A deal?" Thea asked, entering the room with Glenn in tow. "What kind of deal?"

"A good deal on your part," Kari replied, picking up her stuffed hippo. "Here it is…I will sleep in Glenn's room until five in the morning which is an hour before Markus is going to wake up. Glenn can sleep in here but he has to go back into the guest bedroom by five."

Glenn cocked an eyebrow. "That's your deal?"

"Yes."

"And you don't want anything in return?" Thea inquired.

"Hey, I'm getting something in return," Kari announced. "I get to sleep in a bed instead of on the floor and I won't have to find out if you snore or not. You two will just have to find a way to make that tiny bed work for the both of you and all I can say about that is: good luck." She smiled and hugged her hippo which promptly made a loud farting noise. "So, do you want to take the deal?"

"I don't know Kari," Thea muttered, frowning. "Dad's going to be really upset if he finds out that Glenn is sleeping in my room. And you haven't seen him when he gets angry."

Kari rolled her eyes. "Listen, I'll handle it if he finds out which he probably won't. It is my idea after all. Knowing that you're going to be safe from daddy's wrath, do you want to take it or leave it?"

Thea's eyes turned to Glenn. "What do you think? Do you want to chance it?"

"Do you?" Glenn shot back.

"Well, I could use some company that doesn't snore…or fart." Thea said, glancing at Kari and her hippo.

"Hey! I don't snore!" Kari snapped, hugging her hippo which farted again. "And Mr. Squishy can't help it if he farts. That's how he was made and I love him for it."

"And what does Mark think about Mr. Squishy?" Thea asked, crossing her arms.

"Well, he tolerates him, but he did hide Mr. Squishy's batteries once," Kari admitted before shaking her head. "Glenn, go get in your pajamas…You do have pajamas right?"

Glenn gave her a look and walked out the door. Thea shook her head and reached into her closet, pulling out a pair of short shorts and a spaghetti strap shirt.

"You really need to be a little more serious about reality," Thea commented, stepping out of her day clothes and shimmying into her nightclothes.

"Hey Thea…" Kari said, hanging out near the door.

"What?"

Kari squeezed the hippo and it farted again. She stuck her tongue out and darted down the hall and out of view.

"That girl is going to drive me nuts…" Thea muttered, throwing her dirty clothes in the hamper in the corner of the room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: There ya go. A nice little chapter with a little bit of funniness in it so it wouldn't be all depressing. I had my sister laughing during the whole last section, so I consider that a good chapter. What do you think? I'd love to hear all of your points of view on this…even if it is a simple sentence fragment…I crave reviews and hopefully, I get to 85 reviews at the end of the day…Thanks!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait, but I've been trying to get into college and one actually accepted me on the spot. So in light of my semi-good mood, I decided to update while my drill sergeant isn't pestering me about scholarships.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn watched Thea sleep, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath she took. She looked peaceful as she lay there in his arms, her body warm against his bare chest. A soft smile graced her lips, making him wonder what she was dreaming of - was she dreaming of him again?

His internal clock told him that it was nearing five in the morning, but Kari hadn't snuck into the room to wake him yet. He didn't feel like getting up, knowing that he would disturb Thea if he moved. The risk of getting caught was almost worth it now that he knew what it felt like to sleep next to the person that he loved with every fiber of his being. He liked watching over her as she slept.

Her eyelids fluttered and she let out a soft sigh as he watched her. She moved against him and opened her eyes a little bit. Her smile widened a little as her eyes met his and he felt a smile appear on his lips.

"Good morning," she whispered, snuggling closer to him. "How long have you been up?"

"An hour," Glenn replied, tracing the contour of the lean muscles in her arm. "You snored for a few minutes."?

Her face reddened in the darkness. "I snored? Did that wake you?"

"No. I was already up when you started snoring." His smile widened. "It was kind of cute…You seemed to be having a good dream, so I decided not to wake you."

"Oh…the dream. Yeah, it was a good one…You were in it."

"Do you want to tell me the dream since I was in it or was it another X-rated dream that would make even me blush?"

Thea smacked his arm lightly. "No. It was a completely G-rated dream with some romantic bits to it…it was set in the future when we were married, but that's all I'm saying."

"Why? I want to hear what happens in our future."

"If I tell you my dream, it may not come true." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, lifting her head up to look around the room. "Where's Kari?"

"She's probably still asleep."

Thea sat up, pulling herself out of his arms. "Well, at least we haven't gotten caught. Do you mind if I turn on a lamp?"

She didn't wait for him to answer before she climbed out of the bed and bumped into something. A moment later a light came on. Glenn blinked against the sudden brightness in the room, hearing Thea make a small noise of protest at the light, but she made no move to turn it off. When Glenn could look at the room without hurting his eyes, he saw that Thea was moving around the room, picking out clothes.

"I think we should get up now," Thea said, turning to look at him as she fixed her shirt that had ridden up, revealing the lighter bruises there. "Dad's going to be up soon and if we get caught together in this room, we are dead."

"He's that serious?"  
"Super serious. He was really hard on his boys when he was in charge of a platoon. He came close to stripping a few men of their ranks."

"Oh…" Glenn sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed.

Thea smiled and walked over, wrapping an arm around him. "But don't worry. If he thinks we're obeying his rules, he'll be the nicest fellow you can meet. Combine that with the way he idolizes you and you're set for life." Her smile turned into a smirk. "Or at least until you feel the need to ask my daddy for my hand in marriage. Then you'll have to have had proved to him that you are worthy – in his books – of having me as your wife."

"Are you giving me a hint there, Ms. Andrews?" Glenn asked with a small smirk.

Thea shook her head. "I'm too young to be married and our relationship is too new. Too much too fast and everything could end very badly." She placed a small kiss on his forehead. "I'm going to go get a shower, so could you please go get Kari up and make her move to this room? I don't care how you do it or if you go to sleep after you kick her out of the guest bedroom, just don't let yourself get caught in my bedroom. Okay?"  
Glenn nodded and watched his girlfriend bound over to the door. She turned and flashed a smile in his direction before exiting into the darkened hall. Glenn waited for a moment before standing up and walking out of the room. He entered the guest bedroom and turned the light on.

Kari was sprawled out on the bed, mouth hanging open with drool dribbling down the side of her face. When the light was turned on, she made a small noise of discontent and rolled over, burying her face in the pillow. Glenn had no clue what Mark saw in the girl – she didn't even look cute when she was asleep, but he had to admit that he liked her better when she was asleep. At least when she was asleep, she wasn't talking.

"Yes, I like pie," Kari muttered in her sleep. "…would I like ketchup with my pie? I…it tastes good? Well okay… nom-nom-nom…"

Glenn shook his head and walked over to the side of the bed. He wasn't going to be nice to her like he was to Thea. He grabbed the extra pillow and slammed it down on Kari's head. She bolted into a sitting position with a startled expression on her face.

"You're late," Glenn told her.

Kari's face fell when she saw that it was him. "Oh…it's you. I thought I heard Mark, but no. It had to be you that woke me up. Rudely! And now you're saying I'm late? I don't think so! I am –" She glanced at the clock on the wall to find that it was five past five. "– I am the nicest person you know because I gave you some extra time with your girlfriend! So don't you come in here with your big 'I'm so big and bad' attitude directed at me! I will not let you-!"

Glenn clamped a hand over her mouth. Kari's eyes went wide and she blew against his hand, still trying to scream at him. "Quiet!" he hissed at her. "Do you want to wake up the whole house?"

"M-hmm!" Kari growled against his hand before saying a string of words that Glenn couldn't understand with his hand over her mouth.

"If Markus finds out that you weren't in Thea's room the whole night, he'll kick you out of the house," Glenn pointed out. "And do you really want to go back to Mark with the news that you couldn't behave yourself?"  
Kari's eyes narrowed and she pulled his hand away from her mouth. "You fight dirty!" she hissed in a quieter voice as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. "Always playing the Mark card with the Trouble card…you know, I don't see why Thea fell in love with you in the first place. You're way too grumpy and fight way too dirty!"

Kari stormed out of the room and marched into Thea's bedroom. Glenn could hear her messing around with her things before there was silence. He was making the bed when there came a sudden banging out in the hall.

"Thea!" Kari exclaimed, pounding on the door to the bathroom. "Hurry up in there! I want a shower too, you stinky person! You stink of Glenn! And you dipped yourself into the Bog of Eternal Stench! So no matter how hard you scrub, the stink will never wash off! Get out!"

Glenn turned off the light to the guest bedroom and wandered out into the hall. "Kari!"

"Don't 'Kari' me!" Kari snapped, glaring at him. "I have to pee and I stink! I want in there and I don't care if I have to break down the door to get in there!"

"You're going to wake up –" Glenn began before two doors opened.

One door was the door to the bathroom, Thea revealing herself with a towel wrapped around her head. The other was the door to the master bedroom and Markus walked out of it, running a hand through his hair.

"What's the problem?" Markus asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Kari's being Kari," Thea muttered, shaking her head.

Kari glared at her before reaching over and tugging on the side of the Glenn's pants. When she pulled her hand back, there was a thong in her hand. "Glenn! What are you doing with a pair of Thea's underwear in your pocket?"

"What?" Thea, Markus, and Glenn asked, all three shocked at the discovery.

Thea reached out and took the thong. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it in Glenn's pocket," Kari said, pointing at Glenn. "Who knew the man couldn't stand one night without you? And who knew that he was one of those sick freaks that take articles of clothing from the people that they love? Shame on you Glenn. Shame."

"Glenn, did you really take a piece of my daughter's clothing?" Markus asked with a serious expression on his face.

"I-"

"Of course he did!" Kari exclaimed, pointing at the thong in Thea's hands. "There it is! There's your proof! Now I say, you kick him out of the house for his disrespect of your daughter…And for being an ass to me!"

"Dad, don't listen to her," Thea muttered, throwing the thong into her room. "She's probably just mad at Glenn because he probably annoyed her when I was in the shower." She looked at Glenn. "Did you do something to irritate her?"

"All I did was talk to her," Glenn mumbled.

"Uh-huh…" Thea looked back at her father. "It's obvious that Kari's only doing this to get you to kick Glenn out. She doesn't like Glenn and she hates it when he tries to be an authority figure to her. This is all just an evil plan concocted by her as revenge."

Kari frowned and looked away from them all. "I hate you all."

"So it was Kari that took the underwear as a …joke." Markus smirked. "Well, there's no harm in that then. Now who's hungry for some breakfast?"

Kari shot everyone a withering look before storming into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. Glenn swore that the house shook when she did that.

"Dad, Glenn said something about making omelets last night," Thea said, bringing Glenn's attention back to the conversation in the hall. "We were talking and he mentioned that he could cook."

Markus looked at Glenn. "You can cook?"  
"Yes, sir." Glenn said with a small smirk. "Omelets are one of the easiest foods to make. I'd put my omelets against the finest restaurant and I'd win."

"Well then, I believe I'm just going to try one of these great omelets myself and see if you're not pulling my leg." Markus smiled. "I'll just wake the boys. Thea, show Glenn where we keep everything in the kitchen."

Thea tossed her towel into her room before holding her hand out to Glenn. Glenn took it and let her lead him down the dark hallway to the kitchen.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The group of wrestlers and Thea's family had loved the omelets that Glenn had produced. He was just happy to be able to be in a kitchen again, making food that people enjoyed. And making the Andrews family happy was just a bonus.

Thea had disappeared with her brother and Markus into Markus' office to talk with them like Glenn had told her to. Glenn had enough time to take a shower, change, and watch a rerun of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the other three while the Andrews family conversed behind closed doors. And when they emerged from the room, Thea didn't look like she was too upset. Her eyes were just a little wet and a smile didn't come to her face easily, but at least she had talked to them and gotten the problem resolved.

At noon, she was leading him through the little town that she lived in, telling him stories about each place they passed. People would call out to her and she'd wave at them with a huge smile plastered on her face. Glenn could tell that she was happy to see everyone that she had grown up around. Almost everyone recognized him and though some were so intimidated by his size that they took his picture from a distance, a few asked for autographs and a picture with him and Thea.

"I know you were expecting less of a fan base here," Thea commented as they stopped at a small restaurant. "A little town that's not known for its wrestling enthusiasm, but everyone here is glued to a TV whenever there's news of a WWE broadcast. Ever since I made it to the WWE roster, I've had the support of this little town and have helped create new fans for the business. Trust me, there's a large Kane fan base here. You and John Morrison – some girls just can't help themselves." There was a squeal of laughter and Thea smiled. "Speak of the Devil."

Two girls walked over and had huge smiles on their faces. Thea embraced them before looking back at Glenn.

"Glenn, these two are Kate and Amanda," Thea said, gesturing at the two girls in turn. "They're obsessed with John, Cody, Ted, and Drew."

"Hey, what's not to like about some hot bodies and a sexy accent?" Kate asked, flipping her brown hair. "The accent and the body combo is to die for."

"Don't get us wrong, there's something about Kane's badass attitude that's somewhat attractive," Amanda said, brushing back her blonde hair as she looked at Glenn. "But we're really into looks. And Kane's as old as our fathers, so that's another thing we have to consider." She paled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to -"

"It's alright," Glenn said with a small smile. He knew how some fans could be, rambling on and on without any control over their mouths. "It's nice to meet you."

Thea smiled at him. He hoped he was getting better at this being-friendly-to-others thing.

"Thea, I just thought you'd like to know that Carlos is back in town," Kate announced with a small glance in Glenn's direction. "He probably scheduled a small vacation when he found out that you were coming back for a visit. You know how he is…"

"Who is Carlos?" Glenn asked, looking at Thea, who frowned as she took a sip of her drink.

"Oh, Carlos is just Thea's biggest rival in the world," Amanda commented. "He was always trying to one up her when she was wrestling in school and was always challenging her to fights around town. But our gal pal here always managed to kick his sorry ass down and send him crashing back down to Earth. And it doesn't help that he's had the biggest crush on her for years now."

"Yeah, ever since Damon died, Carlos has been chasing after Thea, looking for a great tumble in bed. He won't take no for an answer."

"Guys!" Thea exclaimed, her face taking on the hint of color. "We do not need to talk about Carlos. He's a pig. I don't like him and I'll never agree to be with him. End of story. Can we move onto another topic now?"

"But it's Carlos!" Amanda said, frowning. "He's going to come after you once he finds you and Kane is probably going to crush him because you're Kane's girl on and offstage. Right?"

"Yeah…"

"Then you better…" The girls turned when they heard the rumble of a motorcycle. "That would be Carlos."

Thea stood up abruptly, almost knocking over her drink. "I'll go talk to him and make him understand what I've been trying to drive into his head all these years. I'll be right back."

Glenn watched her walk out of the doors and saw her disappear around a corner. Kate and Amanda sat down across from him, losing their happy faces. Glenn steeled himself for some serious chatting and looked at them.

"What?"

"Mr. Jacobs, do not think for a moment that we enjoy the thought of our best friend dating an older man," Kate said in a serious voice.

"A man that's old enough to be her father," Amanda added as if that was the worst part. "A man that's two times older and twice as big."

"We're glad that she's found someone to love, but it had to be you?" Kate shook her head. "I don't get these totally screwed up love stories and I don't appreciate what they've done to my friend."

"A lot has happened to Thea. Thea's happily ever after was torn away from her when Damon died and now, you're here in his place. When you die, where will she go then? Have you thought about what's going to happen to her when you get old and drop dead? She'll live many years after you kick the bucket and she'll have to either go on without you or find someone else to replace you who will also probably die before her."

"And we'll have to be there to pick up the pieces."

"Thea and I have already talked about this," Glenn said, finding it funny how Thea had predicted how her friends would react when she had still been in the hospital in the beginning of their relationship. "She knew what she was getting into when she decided that she was going to pursue a relationship with me. She knows about the age difference, but when you're in love, there's no such thing as age."

"Two times older," Amanda muttered. "You were in your late twenties when she was born. Just like her father."

"Ew." Kate said, making a face.

"You'd rather have her date someone like Drew or Stephen, wouldn't you?" Glenn asked, cocking his head.

"Uh, yeah. They're both closer to her age and we know they'll treat her right," Kate told him. "Hell, I'd even be happy if she went with Carlos, even though he's a narcissistic jerk. But she chose you."

Glenn knew that that should have hurt him, but it didn't. "Shouldn't you just be happy that you're friend has found someone to love that loves her back? I love Thea. I love her with all of my heart and I'm going to treat her right for as long as I am with her, even if that's only for the next sixty years. I'll treasure the years to come like they're my last and make sure that Thea knows she's love through it all."

Kate and Amanda looked at him for a moment before they started whispering in each other's ear. Glenn looked out at the front of the restaurant again. Thea came into view, talking with a man who was darkly good looking. There wasn't a smile on her face as the man offered her a cigarette which she knocked aside before she continued to have what looked like a heated argument. Glenn felt a little happiness well up inside of him with the fact that Thea didn't seem to enjoy Carlos' company.

"We still don't like it," Amanda said, drawing him back to the conversation that was going on at the table.

"You don't have to," Glenn told them. "You just have to respect Thea's choices. She chose me to love and you're just going to have to respect that."

He put money down on the table and stood up, collecting Thea's drink. Kate and Amanda stared at him with open mouths as he walked around them and towards the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I saw you on the TV," Carlos said, taking a drag on his cigarette. "I saw what happened in the recap and then they showed that little promo…They did a pretty good job making the attack looked like it had been planned, but everyone who has connections in the wrestling industry knows that it wasn't. It was for real."

"So what?" Thea demanded, crossing her arms.

"Where was your _boyfriend_ to protect you when that happened? Where was Mr. Scary Big Red Monster?"

"Don't you start with me about my boyfriend!" Thea snapped, poking him in the chest. "This has nothing to do with him!"

"If he really cared for you, he would have been there to stop it from happening or he would have come running out sooner to save you…" Carlos smirked. "If I had been allowed to climb over the little barrier they had set up, I would have done a much better job of dealing with Nexus and the masked men."

"What do you mean? Were you there?" Thea asked.

"Of course I was. I had to be there to see my greatest rival do something spectacular. I needed to see how much you've grown in your fighting skill and how you wrestle now so I know how to beat you." He looked at her sideways. "But it looks like I was beat to the punch by Nexus and the masked troupe."

"Wait, if you were there. Why didn't you come to the hospital to see me? Why didn't you come to see the damage up close? Maybe get some idea of what my weak points were going to be?"

"After the little spectacle I saw with Kane, I knew that there wasn't going to be any snooping without running into the seven foot giant. I did manage to get some information from a very nice nurse."

"I'm sure you did."

"Don't worry Thea. She wasn't my type – way too blonde for my taste. I prefer dark haired bombshells with a fiery attitude and the stubbornness of an ox."

Thea rolled her eyes and looked towards the doors as her boyfriend approached them. "Yeah, well you're going to have to find someone else to chase after because you are never getting me. I prefer men who think about more than a stray hair or pimple on their face and what that'll do to their career."

"Sure you would," Carlos muttered. "Your boyfriend doesn't even have any hair on his body."

"He's a wrestler…what else do you expect?" She smiled and looked at Glenn as he came by her side. "Glenn, meet the obnoxious Carlos Iglesias."

Carlos flicked aside his cigarette and held a hand out. "They call me 'Lightning' Carlos, not obnoxious. It is a pleasure to meet the mentor of my greatest rival…Tell me, what are Thea's weaknesses when it comes to wrestling."

"Don't go there!" Thea hissed, taking her drink from Glenn when he offered it to her. "He's not going to tell you anything."

"Well, I seem to have found one already," Carlos commented with a smirk. "Your temper still gets in your way, Viper." His eyes landed on their hands when Glenn took hers and the corner of his lips twitched. "And I think I found another…"

"Why are you interested in her weaknesses?" Glenn asked him, an eyebrow quirking up. "You're not even in the same wrestling brand as she is."

"No, but if I ever do become part of your perfect little WWE, I'll need to know everything about her." Carlos shoved his hands in his pockets. "And I have other reasons for learning her weaknesses now, none of which you need to know about."

"Listen Carlos, if you're trying to find a way to corner me into a relationship with you, forget it now," Thea ordered. "I'm in love with Glenn and I'm going to be with Glenn for as long as he wants to keep me as his lover."

"How touching," Carlos said with a sarcastic edge. "If you don't mind, I have places to be and ladies to woo. Enjoy your little vacation back at home, Thea. Mr. Jacobs, it was a pleasure to meet you, but let's not make a habit of it, shall we?"

Thea shook her head as Carlos walked into the restaurant and disappeared. "People around here have thick heads and obviously the people who are closest to me don't seem to like the idea of you being my boyfriend."

"Your friends definitely don't."

Thea looked at him. "I'm sorry Glenn, but those two girls aren't my friends. They were my cousins and they only started talking to me when I started getting famous. They're just trying to find a way to score some fame through my connections and stir up trouble for me."

"But you seemed to like them," Glenn pointed out.

"I'm an actress Glenn," Thea reminded him. "I pretend to like them and obviously I do a really good job if you can't even see my absolute hate for them." She shook her head and slipped her arm through his. "Can we go somewhere else? I know this really romantic spot in the park that we could spend some time at…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So, I know this wasn't one of my best chapters, but this is the best I could come up with because of all the things my parents and teachers are making me do. Sorry. **

**Please review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I've finally managed to find some time to update because this week is Fall Break! Bad news though, there probably won't be multiple updates this week because of scholarship searched, my Senior Culminating Event research, Physics and Spanish 2 homework, and Bible Study periods. So, I'm apologizing in advance if there isn't as many updates as you hope.**

**Anyway, on with the story and the reappearance of Mr. Squishy!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea leaned back on the porch swing, looking out at the setting sun. She was completely alone tonight. Markus and Lee had taken the boys and Kari out for the night because Thea was feeling a little under the weather and it was only the third day that they had been there. Tomorrow, they'd have to head out and go back to work for WWE.

_Am I ready to go back though? _Thea asked herself, checking her cell phone when it buzzed. It was just Drew wishing that she had gone with them. _Am I ready to go back to the wrestling community knowing that my brother and father still have that desire to have me out lurking in the back of their minds? Can I risk getting in that ring again and another attack happens? Can I do that to them again? Can I do that to Glenn?_

Thea had done a lot of talking with Glenn since coming to her hometown. She had found out more about him and she had told him things that he hadn't found out about her yet. But she hadn't voiced her concern about getting back into the ring.

She certainly didn't want to be hurt as bad as she had in each of the attacks, but she was a risk taker. A huge part of her life was devoted to wrestling and stepping into that ring had always been tempting fate. You were likely to end up hurting no matter if you won or not and she had accepted that. But she hadn't accepted the fact that fate would lead her to the hospital in critical condition twice.

_If I could just figure out who the masked leader was…maybe clear Mike's name…then I'd know that no one would attack me like that again. Mike wouldn't attack me like that a second time and he hasn't had a taste of alcohol since Maria's engagement party and that was only cheap champagne…He wouldn't get drunk on the job or have the funds to stage an attack with so many members of the roster. But could it all be a lie?_

_Could Mike really have the funds to stage an attack like that? Did he have the brains to stage an attack on me and the Undertaker with so many people, who hadn't been caught either. Does he lack a heart after all this time? Is his word full of empty promises and lies? Can I trust Mike?_

Her cell phone vibrated again and Thea read the display. Mike. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she accepted the call and pressed the phone against her ear.

"Hey," she said in greeting.

"Thea, I need…I need to talk to you," Mike said and Thea could tell that he was nervous, but she didn't know why he'd be nervous unless he had a guilty conscience…

"We're talking now," Thea pointed out, stretching her legs out on the porch swing.

"It would be a lot easier if you were here where I could see you in person," Mike muttered.

"Well I'm not and I consider that a good thing with all that I've been hearing about you…"

"You've heard the rumors?"

"Yes, and I'm starting to believe that they're more than rumors…Mike, you have to come out and tell people the truth. Did you or did you not have a hand in the attack at No Mercy?"

"No! How could you think that I would attack you after all this time?"

"It wouldn't be the first time that you decided that the limelight was on me too much when it should be on you for a month at a time…You were the one who attacked me the first time in a similar fashion. Of course I'm going to think that people aren't being paranoid about you and that you are the one who did this to me _again_."

"But Thea, I had no hand in this!" Mike exclaimed. "I'm being set up!"

"Prove it."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I have no witnesses who can confirm my alibi…no one would believe what I said without a witness."

"You could at least try to tell someone that you're innocent. They may listen."

"But you won't?"

"How can I listen when you won't tell me anything? You say you're innocent, but you won't tell me why I should believe anything that you say." Thea sighed, scratching her head. "Why won't you just come clean with me, Mike?"

"…I can't…Thea, I want to, but I…can't take the risk."

"Mike, I can't help you if you won't give me any answers. If you don't help me help you...to put it bluntly, you're screwed."

Mike didn't make a sound and Thea had to look at her phone to make sure that she still had a connection to him. She did, so she put the phone back against her ear after coughing.

"Thea…I can't tell you anything because I'm being set up…If he finds out that I'm in contact with you, he'll do something worse than No Mercy…"

"Who Mike?"

"I…can't…"

"Michael! You have to tell me…I can't protect you from anyone anymore if you don't tell me who is behind all of this…Please Mike, let me help you."

"Be careful Thea…"

Mike hung up. Thea let out an exasperated sigh and threw her cell phone across the porch, not caring about its condition anymore.

"Mike! Why the hell won't you let me help you?" Thea yelled at the sky.

Sadie and Scorpio barked, running across the lawn towards her. Thea gave them a look and the two instantly sat, their pink tongues lolling out of their mouths. Thea sat there, looking at them for a moment before she spoke again.

"Guys, I don't know what to do anymore," Thea said. "I try to help people. I try to do what I think is right, but…then this past month happens and my world gets turned upside down. I can't do anything without making someone mad at me or losing the faith that they had in me."

Sadie whined and dipped her head.

"I know…life was simpler before the attack, but because of that attack, I have Glenn." Thea frowned. "I really should be talking to him instead of you guys, but if I'm really going to be truthful with myself, Mark would be a better go to guy when I need someone to give me advice. Glenn understands, but he's not really an advice guru."

She sighed and put her feet on the ground, resting her forehead in her hands. Time seemed to become still for her because the next thing she knew, Drew was sitting next to her on the porch swing with her cell phone in his hands. She looked over at him and took her cell phone back when he held it out to her.

"What…what are you doing back here?" Thea asked, looking over his shoulder. "Are the others back too?"  
"No. Lee let me drive his car back here because there was a little accident on his part that made me bleed." He showed her the long cut on his arm. "And my friend telepathy was telling me that something was up with you, so I was ready to take any excuse to head back here for a friendly chat…it's something we haven't had in a long time Thea."  
Thea nodded and slumped back against the porch swing. "I know…everything has been so different since the attack...and I'm not sure that's a good thing."  
Drew put his hand on her knee. "Thea, what's got you so down?"

"Besides the fact that my family still doesn't like the idea of me wrestling?" She sighed. "I don't know much about anything anymore…Everything is different and I don't like it."

"Like…?"

"Like how I have so many enemies now," Thea said, glancing at him. "I used to be able to name my enemies on one hand, but now…people I thought were my friends decided to don a mask and attack me for a few dollars. And after all of that, they slip back into their lies and pretend to be my friend again…I don't like that."

"Thea, you know that you can't be friends with everyone," Drew said. "You can try and try, but you're bound to be on someone's hate list. And money is the weakness of many people…they'll do anything they can to get some extra cash in their pocket, even if it means switching sides and hating you."  
Thea sighed and closed her eyes, running a hand through her hair. "I guess I just have to get used to the facts of life…"

"That's not all that's been bothering you," Drew commented, cocking his head to one side. "I can tell…"

Thea looked at him. "Can you?"

"You're still thinking about No Mercy," Drew said, pulling his hand off her knee. "You're thinking about the attack and the helpless feeling that it left you with. Aren't you lass?"

Thea nodded, looking out across her yard once more. "I hadn't really thought much about it after it happened…it was just another match gone wrong and it was only going to keep me down for a few weeks…but hearing what it was like for the people who watched it happen over and over again…seeing it through their eyes, it's made me think about it all over again. I've dreamt about the attack over and over again, ever since my father told me what he thinks about my wrestling. Each time, the masked leader whispers those words in my ear and each time, it's a different person. Someone who hates me enough to risk their career in an unscripted attack…but then, I have this feeling of familiarity when the person stands over my broken body and I open my eyes…and I see…"

"You see what?" Drew asked.

"I see Mike…and he's telling me that he didn't do it, but I don't listen. I know he had a hand in it…he did it last time…but…"

"Part of you believes that he's a changed man," Drew guessed.

Again Thea nodded. "And I don't think I can listen to that part of me because I haven't really been around Mike ever since the incident. I don't know if he's changed – if he gave up alcohol completely – or…"

"He did." Drew sighed when Thea gave him a questioning look. "Lass, I've been around the Superstars and Divas longer than you have. I've gone to clubs with many of them and I've learned most of their habits. And I can tell you truthfully that I've never seen Mike throw back a drop of alcohol except at Hardy's engagement party. He's not an alcoholic anymore, Thea."

"So, I got one thing right about him…and that could eliminate him as the masked leader."

"It could?"

"Well, yeah. I may not remember much about the attack, but I remember the smell of alcohol on the masked leader's breath. It clung to him and…" Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember everything. "He smelled of…hair product with the undertone of perfume…a nauseating perfume under the nauseating scent of alcohol and hair product."

Drew was silent as he processed the new information. Thea frowned and looked at her phone, seeing a text from Stephen telling her that they were only going to be out for a couple more hours because Kari wanted to take them all to the movies to see 'The Other Guys'. Thea didn't mind; she could be without them for a little while longer.

"A lot of the Superstars use some form of hair product and men who have girlfriends, tend to have a bit of perfume on them from where they rubbed against their girlfriend." He sighed. "What you've just told me barely eliminates anyone, lass. In fact, it might have just incorporated most of the WWE male roster."

"Can we eliminate the really big people? I mean, he wasn't really huge or super muscular. He was slimmer and leanly muscled." Thea sagged back against the porch swing. "I know that still leaves a number of wrestlers behind, but if we also eliminate the ones that came out to save me and Mark, then maybe we have a better chance of discovering who the masked leader was."

Drew leaned back against the porch swing. "Eliminate the ones we know were there on our side…Well there was Mark, Glenn, me, Stephen…Cena, Hennigan, Killings, HBK, Levesque…"

"Big Show, Kofi, Christian…" Thea counted off on her fingers. "Both Hardy brothers…"

"And Orton." Drew looked at her. "Were there anymore?"

"I don't know. I was too busy getting my face pounded in to really figure out who was all there, but we can always review the tapes…And maybe if we study the way that the leader attacked me, we can figure out whose fighting style matches?"

Drew nodded and climbed to his feet. "Let's go check it out."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn entered the house after Markus and the others, closing the door behind him and the dogs. The light was on in Thea's room, but when he came to a stop outside of it, he saw that she was curled up on her bed with her laptop, fast asleep. Kari was already there, picking up papers that lay scattered on the floor and on the bed, careful not to disturb Thea.

"She was a very busy bee while we were gone," Kari whispered, looking through the papers. "She marked down all the wrestlers that were allied with us at No Mercy and the ones that were out of state…" She flipped over a page. "And she found out some of the wrestlers that were unaccounted for…and…" She squinted. "The wrestlers that we already know that were part of the opposition…Geez, Drew has horrible handwriting. See?"

Glenn took the papers she held out to him, ignoring Drew's horrible handwriting. He saw dozens of names in different categories, but on the final page, there was only one name. Mike. Above the name were the words 'Set Up?' and Glenn stared at that page for a moment.

_Does she still think that Mike is innocent? After what he did a couple of years ago, how can she believe that he was set up?_

"Hey Glenn," Kari said, picking up Thea's laptop. "She was watching No Mercy again…" She pulled a face. "Crap…I look like a little pipsqueak on here, fighting with the big boys…" Then she laughed. "But I have to admit that this is a great place to start the video."

She pushed a button the laptop and loud sounds came from it as the video started playing. Glenn gave her a stern look as Thea moaned on the bed. Kari quickly pushed another button on the laptop and the sounds ceased.

"Sorry."

"Don't touch anything," Glenn ordered quietly, setting the papers aside. "And don't wake Thea up. I want her to at least have a chance at feeling better when we leave in the morning."

Kari's eyes glazed over and she smiled a small, content smile. "I get to see Mark again…I'll hug him and I'll love him…I'll make him forget that he was away from me for four days...I really will…and we'll go to the movies and do charity work together and visit schools with all the little children….and then we'll have a really romantic dinner and –"

"I don't want to know what you're going to do with Mark!" Glenn snapped, grabbing the laptop out of her hands and shutting it. "Whatever you do with him behind closed doors is your business. I don't want to hear about it. Understand?"

Kari nodded and gathered a bag of things. "I understand that you are a big mean-y head and that you still haven't figured out how to deal with people in a civilized, no yell manner. I still don't understand Thea's choice in dating you, but that's probably something I'll never understand…I'll see you in a bit. Hanging around you all night…" She sniffed her shirt. "I smell too much like you and a Scottish man and not enough like me. I'm going to take a shower, so tootles."

Glenn watched her walk away before walking over to the side of the bed to look at Thea. She still looked a little pale and her forehead was a little clammy when he touched it. Her breath hitched for a moment when he put a throw blanket on her and then she sighed, her eyes opening a little.

"Glenn?" She sat up and kept her eyes closed against the light. "What time is it?"

"A little after one," Glenn told her, sitting on the side of the bed next to her. "You should go back to sleep. We'll be getting up early in the morning."

Thea nodded and flopped onto her pillow, shivering a little as she pulled the throw back into place. "I don't think you should sleep in here with me…I can't have you get sick before your big match against the SES…they deserve to get their butts kicked."

"According to the papers that Kari found on your bed, there are more people who deserve to have their asses kicked," Glenn said. "Why didn't you tell me that you were looking up people who were or weren't involved in the No Mercy incident? I could have helped."

"Honestly, I didn't really think about eliminating the people that I knew weren't at No Mercy or the ones that helped until I started talking with Drew. I would have told you about my plan because you have a better memory than I do about that match and those who participated in it." She looked down. "Glenn, I'm sorry that I put you through that…kind of pain. Watching me in that ring, getting my butt kicked…I know it must have been excruciating painful for you since you love me…but it made us both face reality and admit that we love each other, so maybe not everything that was a result of the incident was a bad thing…"

"Thea, it wasn't you fault and it wasn't in your control, so I'll never blame you for No Mercy," Glenn assured her, taking one of her hands and rubbing it with his thumb.

Thea gave him a small smile and stifled a yawn. "Okay…It's time for you to go to bed and get some sleep…I want you to promise me that you'll sleep until the absolute last moment that you can without making us late." She looked at him with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "We'll get to have some of your omelets, right?"

"Yes."

"Yay…"

Glenn knew that she was fading fast into the world of dreams, so he leaned over and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

"Gross." Kari said, holding her farting hippo once more. "Bedtime kisses are for children and their parents…not to be in front of friends. Duh."

Glenn rolled his eyes, seeing that Thea was asleep once more and stood up, heading for the door. "You are immature."  
"Hey Glenn," Kari said, drawing his attention once more.

"Make that irritating doll fart at me and you'll never see it again!" Glenn growled, walking away.

"Meany-head!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Short chapter update with two scenes, I know. I could have done better, but in reality, I'm thinking four chapters ahead at any given time, so please pardon me if I don't put a lot in one chapter. Sorry there were no awesome love-y dove-y scenes, but I'm working to three objectives at the moment. Two of which will crush you and one will make you go 'I knew it was the sneaky rotten bastard' with a special little twist from a recently introduced character…Stay tuned for more twists and turns!**

**By the way, thanks to the almighty WWE, I can no longer watch any wrestling because every show is now on cable. This means my Friday nights are now full of two hours of emptiness and no eye candy. This sucks, but I'm going to make the most of it. **


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: 88 reviews and counting… I'm thinking that I've lost some reviewers in some of the earlier chapters and others are simply coming along for the ride, thinking happy little thoughts to themselves…Well, since you've been such good reviewers, I decided to put another chapter up while I have the time!**

**WARNING: Very random Kari and very PO Thea. **

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea picked up the little piece of technology that Teddy Long had given her for tonight's show, trying to ignore the itchy bandages the medical team had wrapped around her torso because her ribs were still cracked and were hurting more than normal lately. It felt good to be back with her WWE family. People seemed to miss her including team Lay-Cool, who had only missed making fun of her. She'd simply ignored their hateful words and hugged people that were happy to have her back.

"So, are ya ready for our little part in all of this?" Kari asked, bounding over. "Our little reveal into who had a hand in all of the chaos of No Mercy, are you ready for it?"  
Thea nodded. "I'm ready for it and I'm sure Kane's ready for it too. He's been very moody lately, promising vengeance for me."

"Well, let's get moving then." Kari said, heading for the curtain. "It's time for us to make this show a little happier."

Thea was about to follow her when she heard something. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Mike was standing down a hall, looking at her. A frown tugged at her lips and she turned back to Kari, waiting for the signal for them to walk out. It came and she forced a smile on her face as she walked out and waved to the crowd while Kari danced around, making the crowd roar with applause and cheers.

It felt good to be out in front of the WWE universe again. She missed seeing all the signs with Superstars' names on them and the artist renditions of random Superstars on the posters. People held their hands out to her and she smacked them in a dozen high-fives with a smile on her face.

Then she was up in the middle of the ring where two stools sat. Kari jumped around the ring for a moment, waving and showboating to keep the crowd going. Thea shook her head and took the microphone that was on her stool.

"Okay, Kari. That's enough," Thea said. "You get your little butt over here and take a breather."

Kari smiled and picked up her microphone. "I can't do that. I had some major sugar and some caffeine…and now I'm hyper, hyper, and oh so very hyper!"

Thea rolled her eyes and pulled a little red button out of her back pocket. "Here, take this."

"What is it?"

"A shiny red button."

"Oh!" Kari snatched it up and sat down, pressing the button over and over again. "I have the power in my hands!" She smiled at the crowd. "This is my Doomsday button because this little meeting we're having is the first installment of my show with V here."

"Welcome to Apocalypse Corner everyone," Thea said, gesturing at the ring and the two Divas inside of it. "Our goal is to join the Brothers of Destruction and their rookies in one ultimate cause of restoring order in the WWE brand."

"Well, that's one of my goals," Kari said. "My real goal is to make this show actually worth watching by putting as much humor into it as possible. Button!"

"Of course," Thea agreed before her face became really serious. "Now, we all know what happened at No Mercy, don't we? Some idiots decided that they wanted to beat the crap out of me and Undertaker, but we had no clue who the majority of those masked assailants were." She smirked. "Until now."

"Really?" Kari said, looking at Thea. "I thought you wanted to move on from this without dragging out the No Mercy topic again."

"Well, I changed my mind because Kane is really eager to bash some people's skulls in. In fact, most of the male roster that helped me is ready to kick some butt, so why should I deny them the pleasure?" Thea turned to look at the titantron. "Let's see, who shall I identify first? How about these two…"

A snapshot of the brawl at No Mercy appeared and Thea looked at the small piece of technology resting on her legs. She dragged her finger in a circle on the screen and a yellow circle appeared around one of the figures in the snapshot. Thea sighed.

"This person, who I fondly call BM like my favorite wrestler the Rock, we already know as one of the attackers. It's squirrelly-face, CM Punk. And this giant next to him –" She drew a circle around him. "Is Luke Gallows. Their little sidekick, whose name I forgot, was right there with them. And look, it's Lady-Shave-My-Hair, Serena…"

"What a big happy, dysfunctional cult reunion," Kari said with a disgusted face.

"Next slide…" Thea circled two more people. "Well, I can tell that these two are the Hart Dynasty boys." She circled another person. "And this big man here is none other than Shad which really disappoints me because I always thought he was a good guy."

"Thea, we thought everyone was a good person when we first got here," Kari pointed out. "But it turns out that heels are heels in real life as well as on screen. Face it, Shad is downright evil. Button." She stole the pad that Thea was drawing on. "Let's see…these people here are Creepy Face Edge, Masters…big shock there, those idiots who call themselves Dude-something or others…" She looked at Thea. "Do we really have to attack them? They have no functioning brain and are therefore easily manipulated."

"That's really not up to me," Thea reminded her. "The boys get to decide the fates of the ones that attacked me, except for the girls. That's our territory." She smiled and stole the tablet back. "Speaking of which, let's look at these people I will fondly call 'sticks'." She drew lines on them. "If we were to play the video, you would hear them egging on the masked people and not really adding their blows to the brawl, but they did get a few decent hits in."

"That's a first," Kari muttered. "And they weren't sneaky, underhanded blows either. These ones were in your face, no cheating moves. It has got to be a record for them. Shiny button of DOOM!"

"These two sticks are your Women's Champions," Thea announced to the audience who booed at that. "Lay-down-and-puke, Layla and Michelle Un-cool…And believe me, I've got something big planned for them."

"Layla, Michelle, if you're listening and we know that you are," Kari began, looking towards the ramp. "If you know what's good for you, you'd start preparing your speech for forgiveness because my friend has been hanging around Kane and his anger, his evil is rubbing off on her and she means business." She laughed. "What happened to her at No Mercy is going to seem like a little cut compared to what she's going to do to you. Beg for forgiveness or run away like cowards, it's your choice really. And I do hope you choose to run because I'd love to have an excuse to run you over with my scooter of doom!"

"There's a few more that we haven't named yet, so let's see…" Thea drew some arrows over people's heads. "This is cranky Batista, pretty boy Cody Rhodes, narcissistic Chris Jericho, we already know about Nexus, and speech challenged Jack Swagger…and that would be all of them except for this guy…" Thea drew a circle around the masked leader that was standing over her in the snapshot. "This guy, I'm not going to let Kane touch. I'm not going to let anyone touch. He's mine to deal with and when I find out who he is and when I get my hands on him, he'll regret the day he ever stepped into the ring and attacked me. I swear it!"

Kari pushed the button again and the arena went black. "Oops, I turned off the lights…Sorry Thea…"

"Well, push the button again," Thea ordered.

When the lights came on, there was nothing in the ring.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane had a boot against the throat of Cody Rhodes, ignoring the ref's orders to back off until the last moment. Cody lay gasping at his feet, looking up at him with fear in his eyes. Kane glared down at the man with all the hate he had in his body. This match was to be a warning to the masked leader, sending him the message that Kane was going to bring the wrath of Hell upon him if he ever showed his face again. It reflected what Kane felt offstage because he knew that if he ever found out who the man was that orchestrated the attack against his onstage brother and Thea, he was going to murder him.

"Kane appears to be taking his time in destroying Cody," Matt commented. "Notice he's not going for any covers that would end the match and we're well into it by now."

"Well his goal is to punish those who had a hand in the attack of his rookie, Matt," Todd pointed out. "And his brother…"

Kane tuned them out and kicked Cody in the side. "How does it feel to be beaten?" he demanded in a dangerous growl.

"I didn't attack Thea!" Cody gasped, rolling out of the way of another crushing blow. "I didn't go anywhere near her! It was all Nexus and the masked leader!"

"Liar!" Kane said, throwing Cody into the ropes where the pretty boy flipped over the ropes and fell to the ground. "You were there! You were against us! You will pay!"

Cody shook his head and backed away from the ring, ignoring the counting of the ref. He got counted out, making Kane the winner by count out. Kane wasn't happy with that simple victory and climbed out of the ring, advancing on the retreating pretty boy. Cody tripped over his own feet and fell back on his butt, holding a hand up as he begged for mercy. Kane bared down on the man and punched him in the face.

"I didn't do it!" Cody exclaimed as Kane hoisted the man to his feet by his throat. "I…didn't…"

Kane slammed the man against the security wall before dragging him up the ramp and behind the curtain. The cameramen followed him of course as Kane threw Cody around, knocking him into various things and people. Cody moaned in pain as he lay in a heap on the floor.

"You will pay for what you've done to my brother and to Thea!" Kane growled, kicking the cowering man in the stomach. "You will feel my vengeance!"

He heard something snap and then Cody cried out in pain. With a smirk, he grabbed Cody's foot and pulled him off camera, slamming a door behind him.

Glenn released Cody's foot with a disgusted look on his face. Cody coughed and climbed to his feet, shaking a little from the rough treatment he had just experienced.

"That was a bit much, wasn't it?" Cody asked, glancing at Glenn. "When you get into the role of Kane, you really don't mess around…"

"I wasn't acting," Glenn hissed, glaring at Cody. "You had a hand in No Mercy and I will always put some of the blame of what happened to Thea and Mark on you! Now you better do what the bosses told you to do or you're going to be suspended for a month and I'll get to do this all over again!"

Cody paled and held his hands up in surrender. "I'll pay the fines. I'll do the charity work. And I'll issue a lengthy written apology to Thea and Mark. I swear it, Glenn. This won't happen again…"

"See that it doesn't!" Glenn spat.

Cody turned tail and scurried away. Glenn looked across the room and saw Mark standing there, dressed as the Undertaker. There was a gleam of sadness in the man's eyes as he met the burning eyes of Glenn. Glenn knew that the man was going to play the role of the vengeance seeker as well, but like many of the others who had helped save Thea and him, he was moving on from it. He accepted the punishment that the wrestlers were given and no longer held the anger at being attacked…

_So what if he's the bigger person…_ Glenn thought, heading for his locker room. _He didn't have someone he cared about in that ring…He has no clue what it feels like to know the names of the people who had a hand in the torture of his lover and he never will because he's learned now that it isn't safe to leave her alone…not yet. Not until I catch the bastard that made the ring even less safe than it is now…Mark…he just doesn't understand that vengeance at the most extreme level is called for at this point, being the pacifist that he is…_

Thea walked by him moments later, dressed in her ring attire which left the bandages uncovered. Glenn turned and grabbed her by the arm, stopping her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm going to go teach Serena Deeb a lesson," Thea told him calmly. "I need to send a message out to team Lay-Cool, that I am not going to sit by and let people mess with me. Even if they all pay the fine and do the charity work that McMahon put on them."

"You're in no condition to fight," Glenn pointed out, glancing down at the bandages. "And Teddy -"

"Gave me permission to do this," Thea cut across him. "I'm not going to let her hurt me, Glenn. This…this is just going to be message that I'm back and I'm going to exact my own vengeance upon the people that attacked me. You handle the boys; I'll handle the three girls. Okay?"  
"I don't want you to go out there."

"Glenn, I have to go out there. I already talked it over with some people and they gave me the green light. The medical team says I can go out there, so I'm going." She put a hand over his. "Glenn, this is what all the physical therapy has prepared me for…stepping back into the ring, where I belong."

Glenn sighed. He knew there would be no arguing with her if she had already received approval for her scheme. He released her arm and took a step back.

"Will you need any help?" he asked reluctantly.

"Kane's help? I don't think Gallows or CM Punk will bother me once I make it clear what I'm doing. You didn't punish Serena for what she did and they know that it's her turn to pay, so there's a good chance that they will step back and let me bring my wrath upon her." She smiled at him. "Don't worry Glenn. I'll scream your name if I need help…because I don't want to relapse as much as you don't want me to."

Glenn let her hug him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent. Images of what had happened to her flashed before his eyes and he silently willed them away. Things were going to be different tonight. She'd come out of her fight with Serena without a scratch and with her head held high. There would be no ambush, no surprise attack on her. The masked leader wouldn't rear his ugly head and issue forth another attack. Things would be different.

"I've got to go now Glenn," Thea said, speaking against his chest. "So…you're going to have to let me go…"

Glenn slowly released her, looking down into her ice blue eyes. A smile touched her lips as she looked up at him and he wondered what she saw in him that made her smile so much.

"I'll see you after the show," Thea promised.

"Stay safe," Glenn said as Thea retreated down the hall and disappeared around a corner. He lifted his eyes heavenward and sighed. "God…please be with her…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea dropped Serena onto the mat after holding her up in the air for a moment. The SES disciple's head cracked against the mat and she cried out in pain. Outside of the ring, Kari was keeping an eye on CM Punk and Luke Gallows, threatening them with her Doomsday button. The SES family didn't make a move to help Serena, though they did call out for her to get back up and fight back. They called for the ref to do something to stop Thea from inflicting so much damage but the ref ignored them, letting Thea continue to do extremely painful, legal moves.

"DOOMSDAY BUTTON!" Kari cried out, Spearing CM Punk and knocking him into the announcer's table. "Woo! Go Apocalypse!"

Thea ignored her and did an elbow drop that connected with Serena's stomach. Then she backed away, leaning back against the ropes, watching Serena climb back to her feet. She waited, taking her time in preparing for her next move.

Serena stumbled to her feet, looking to CM Punk for help, but Kari was taking care of him and Luke. Thea smirked, lowering herself into a position that she could launch herself forward in. CM Punk, breaking away from Kari as she battled Luke, saw what Thea was planning and yelled at Serena to move out of the way, but she didn't listen. Serena turned and Thea launched herself at the SES Diva.

Thea's arms and legs locked into place, twisting the girl's body in directions that were not natural. Serena's face contorted in pain and CM Punk slapped his hand against the mat, looking horrified at the position that his follower was in. The announcers were surprised at the move.

"I can't believe this!" Todd exclaimed. "The Viper has just revealed perhaps her most dangerous submission hold, Viper's Fury!"

"Well, she has Todd," Matt commented. "Viper's Fury is Thea's most painful submission hold and if she doesn't release Serena soon, Serena could be seriously injured! But maybe that's Thea's goal. Serena did have a hand in Thea's downfall at No Mercy and this could be the way that Thea will make Serena pay for her crimes."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Todd muttered.

Thea's eyes narrowed as she felt Serena hit the mat repeatedly. The SES Diva cried out in pain as the bell sounded, but Thea didn't let go until the ref came over and told her to release her opponent. With a disgusted look, Thea stood up and kicked Serena in the side, knocking her towards her SES savior.

"Don't you _ever _lead another attack against me and the Undertaker!" she spat, glaring at Serena as she cried in CM Punk's arms. "Or I won't be so gentle with you!" Her eyes turned to the ramp and narrowed into slits. "I will deal with Layla and Michelle later…" she whispered as her music played. "And I do hope that they were watching…"

"DOOMSDAY BUTTON ACTIVATE!" Kari screamed, pressing the button and the pyrotechnics went off before the arena plunged into darkness. "MUWHAAHHAHAHAHHA!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Eh, Thea's changed a little with her relationship with Kane…got a little meaner and Kari, she's just super crazy. Review and I'll get the next chapter up and if I'm right…it's going to be a bit…heartbreaking for some people. Start thinking of fond memories because I'm going to ask for them in the next couple of chapters. Tootles! **


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Last update of Fall Break and the last certain update for awhile. I am so far behind in my physics homework that I'll have a lot of catching up to do. But at least I get to make something explode in Chemistry. Ha-ha, that'll be fun. **

**Anyway, bad news lurks in this chapter, so be warned and keep a tissue handy for the end. You have been warned.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane and some of the other wrestlers had attacked as many of the men named by Thea and the WWE sponsored more community/public services in the next couple of weeks than they had ever done before. It was clear to all that the people who attacked Thea were in trouble and they were reaping their own rewards while the rest of them looked for any leads towards the man who had orchestrated the entire attack.

And Thea had made it back into the ring even though she wasn't completely recovered, but she was no longer in serious pain. The fans seemed overjoyed to have her back, cheering louder for her than they had before. And more and more Kane and Thea signs were popping up throughout the crowd. Some people were even coming up to them when they did backstage autographs and would say that it was about time that Kane fell in love with someone that was so perfect for him. They all seemed to believe that Thea was Kane's redemption and Glenn was starting to feel that way too.

He stood off to the side, watching Thea talk to some of Nexus who had shown up for the night. It didn't take long for her to act like they had been friends for years and that was something Glenn hadn't expected after everything that Nexus had done to her. Yet, here she was talking to Stu and Michael Tarver like they'd never lifted a hand against her.

The cameras were off of them for the time being, but in about a half hour Thea and Kane were supposed to make an appearance in the ring where they would issue a threat to the masked leader. Glenn was looking forward to that because he needed to vent some of the frustration that he still retained in his body with the knowledge that the man had escaped their wrath for so long. Thea just wanted to be back in the ring and she would be the voice of reason in this little promo.

"Thea," Teddy Long said, appearing by her side and effectively ending the laughter that was coming from the small trio. "I need to talk to you."

Thea's smile faltered a little, but didn't fall completely. "What's up Teddy?"

"This is something I think we should discuss in private," Teddy stated, casting a glance at Stu and Michael.

Thea looked at Stu and Michael with a frown. "I'll talk to you guys in a little while. Okay?"

"Sure." Stu and Michael walked off, speaking to each other in low voices.

Glenn's eyes met Thea's for a moment before she followed Teddy off towards the end of the hall where no one was. Knowing that she'd eventually tell him what was going on; Glenn looked away, thinking about what he was going to say when he got out in the ring.

Thanks to the ever helpful writers, he knew the gist of how the speech would go. Kane would be furious and would be in a vengeance driven state, unable to quench his thirst for vengeance for his injured love. He'd work himself into a state and Thea would break in, trying to calm him down and would promise him that everything would be all right in the end. And at the end of the little promo, Thea would take on Kaval, who also had a hand in the attack, even though he hadn't really been there. And then, they'd all go home and Glenn would spend some quality time with Thea without the distraction of others.

"Hey Glenn," Kari said, appearing out of nowhere. "What are you doing over here while Thea talks to Teddy over there?"

"It's called giving people privacy," Glenn told her, glaring down his nose at the annoying blonde. "You should learn about it."

"Privacy? That's where everyone knows about what's going on in everyone's life, right?" Kari asked with a small smile. "Like how you two still haven't slept together yet. I mean, you two have slept together in the same bed, but you haven't…well, you know."

"How do you know we haven't?" Glenn demanded.

"I've been training with Mark," Kari pointed out. "That man knows everything and I mean _everything_. So, in my training, I'm starting to learn everything there is to know about every single person involved in the wrestling industry. Like I know what you ate for breakfast this morning."

"You were sitting two tables away."

"See? I knew you were going to sit at the third table closest to the wall before you did. And I know that right now, you're starting to get annoyed with me. I'm psychic."

"I've been annoyed with you ever since you came to WWE. It hasn't just started."

"You're just jealous because I have the knowledge of everything that you can only dream of. Admit it. You're jealous of me and the Undertaker."

Glenn was about to answer with a mean remark when Thea's voice carried up the hall. He turned and saw her grief-stricken face.

"No! It can't be true!" Thea exclaimed, looking like she was on the verge of tears. "Teddy, it can't be true!"

Teddy said something and the tears came pouring out like there was no end, sliding down Thea's face in a torrential stream. Thea hugged herself and pleaded with Teddy, begging him to give her a different answer, but the man had none. With a loud sob, Thea turned and ran down the hall, slamming the door to the girl's locker room behind her.

Glenn walked over quickly and glared down at Teddy. "What did you say to her?" he demanded.

"What did you say that upset her like that?"

"Now Glenn, you know that I can't tell you that," Teddy said, looking up at the taller man. "This is more personal than your relationship with Thea and I think you need to wait for Thea to come to you with the answer to your question. She'll tell you when she feels a little better and then you'll know. But I can't help you and…" He sighed. "We'll have to change the promo. Maybe even cancel the match."

Beth came out of the locker room and walked over in time to catch the last part. "Don't cancel the match. I'm going to talk to Thea and I'll have her out in time for the match. Just do some improvising at the end of your monologue and get Kaval out there before Thea. You get that dealt with and let me handle Thea. Okay?"

"If you can have her out in time for the match, I'll take care of the changes and make sure the right people are notified," Teddy promised.

Beth nodded and walked back into the girl's locker room. Glenn looked at the locker room door, considering the idea of barging in there to help his girlfriend. Kari put a hand on his arm and shook her head when he looked at her like she knew what he was thinking.

"Don't bother her," Kari ordered. "Beth is like the female version of Mark when it comes to solving problems and giving advice. She'll help Thea and then Thea will come out and do her job like the actress that she is. The world in here –" She patted her heart. " – may be hurting, but Thea knows how to work through the pain and make the people happy. Just let her have a moment to gather herself together and you do your job. That's all you really can do without making the situation worse."

Glenn sighed and looked away from the door. "All I want to do is help her."  
"I know," Kari said with a small smile. "But women, we don't like to be chased into a corner when something upsets us. We prefer to come to our men on our own and then tell them what's made us so upset while in the safety of their arms. It makes us feel better faster and helps the healing come sooner. So my advice to you in the ways of the Undertaker: leave her alone and do your job."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stood there with her head resting against the cold wall backstage, staring at the floor with watery eyes. She had two minutes to make it towards the curtain and walk out, but she couldn't will herself to move just yet. She had to collect herself so her fans wouldn't see her pain. They couldn't see her cry.

But it's impossible to collect oneself when they've had news of something so terrible. Thea felt dead inside and she knew that it would reflect on her face when she walked out there. Her fans didn't deserve to see something like that, when she wasn't at her best.

So she stood there, willing herself to move without crying.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane stood outside of the ring, looking towards the ramp. Kaval had rolled with the changes and now he was bouncing around the ring, waiting for Thea to make her appearance. Todd and Matt had already been made aware that Thea had received some news that had left her upset, but they had no clue what that news could be, so they were making guesses about what that could be and if it would disrupt her fighting style.

Thea's intro music played along with her video, but Thea did not walk out. Teddy Long came out in her place.

"Stop the music," he said and the music cut off. "Kane, Kaval…players, Thea isn't going to come out tonight. She's in no condition to fight and…Kaval, she forfeits –"

Kane watched Thea appear next to Teddy. Her eyes had a haunted look to them as she stared out at the crowd, a small smile fixed on her face. Even from where he stood, Kane could tell that the smile was trembling, on the verge of slipping off her face and fading into nothingness. She did not look like she was in any condition to fight in front of thousands.

Teddy looked at Thea. "Thea, you don't have to do this. You can go back and relax, gather yourself together girl."

Thea shook her head and looked out at the crowd. "I have to do this…for him…"

Teddy looked like he understood and motioned for her to walk on down the ramp. The music started playing again as she walked, but Thea didn't have that spring in her step like she used to. Kane saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes as she made her way past him and he put a hand on her shoulder.

The look she gave him made his heart clench painfully. Something was seriously wrong and he wanted her out of the situation she was in as soon as possible. She didn't look like she would last the match without bursting into tears.

Kaval made his way over to the side of the ring and held the ropes open for her. Thea offered a wan smile and made her way over to her corner. The bell sounded and Kaval attacked.

"Todd, Thea doesn't seem to be into this match," Matt commented after a few minutes. "Whatever is bothering her must be really important or traumatic if she can't even put together a decent move set. I've never seen the Viper like this before. It's kind of…scary."

"Well Matt, Kaval seems to be sensing that as well. He's not using his full strength against her nor is he putting her in any powerful moves of his own," Todd said. "And you're right. We've never seen Thea act this way before. If she doesn't perk up soon, the match is going to be over and we'll be declaring Kaval as the winner."

Kane couldn't stand to hear those words and watched Thea hit the mat. Kaval came running at her, but Thea used her feet and sent him flying over the ropes. She sat up as Kaval struggled to his feet and stared aimlessly at nothing, seeing nothing with haunted eyes. Kane smacked the mat to attract her attention and she turned her head, looking at him now.

"Thea, are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Her bottom lip trembled and she pushed herself to her feet, looking away from him. Kane tried to make her turn, but she didn't move fast enough to avoid Kaval's next attack. Kaval sent her sprawling on her back and went down for the pin. Thea tried fighting against him, but he managed to get her down and kept her shoulders down for the three-count, ending the match. Kaval backed off and offered her a hand up. Thea took it and let him pull her to her feet, not meeting his gaze.

Doing something completely out of character, Kaval gave her a hug which she didn't return. Kane climbed into the ring and made his way over to the two. Kaval quickly released her and climbed out of the ring with a whispered apology. Thea stared out at the crowd with unseeing eyes for a moment before looking at him.

"Thea, what's wrong?" he asked, touching her face with a hesitant hand.

Thea pushed his hand away and walked around him, sliding out of the ring. The cameras followed her and by watching the Titantron, Kane could see the tears starting to fall from her eyes. His eyes narrowed in a famous Kane glare and he lifted his arms in the air, bringing them down as the pyrotechnics went off. Then he climbed out of the ring and headed up the ramp, ignoring the comments that Matt and Todd were making about what had transpired in the ring moments earlier. He had a rookie to find and a lover to comfort.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stood there under the water of the shower, crying. Just crying in a place where no one could see her tears. She couldn't believe she had lost it at the end of her match with Kaval. She hadn't meant for anyone to see her tears but she hadn't been able to hold them back. The tears had come and they refused to remain held back for more than a few minutes.

_How could this happen? _Thea asked herself, shivering under the cold water. _How could everything change just like that? One moment there and the next moment it's gone…It's not fair! This shouldn't have happened. Not to me. Not after everything I've been through for the past couple of years. This…_

Her eyes closed as she heard someone open the door to the locker room. All of the girls had already come and gone. She'd heard them enter, change, talk, and leave. All of them without really acknowledging her as she grieved over something no one knew about.

_Please just go away…Go away and leave me to grieve…Please…_

Hands reached around her and turned the water off. A towel was wrapped around her, offering little warmth to her freezing body. She was guided out of the shower and into the warmth of the locker room, wrapped up in the arms of someone who cared for her.

He didn't seem to care that she was soaking his shirt with her tears and the droplets of water coming from her hair. All he seemed to care about was being there for her.

It didn't bother her that he had seen her naked and at her weakest. She needed his warmth, needed to know that he was there for her. He was her rock and her comfort and she could feel his love seeping through her, warming her to the core. But she was dying inside and there was little he could do to fix that.

"Thea…." Glenn whispered, keeping his arms firmly around her. "What's wrong?"

Thea forced back a sob, trying to find her voice. "I…something terrible… has happened Glenn!"

Glenn hesitated, knowing that it was a sore topic. "What happened?"

Thea shook her head and buried her face in his chest, letting the tears fall once more. Glenn was patient, rubbing her back and holding her gently. After a moment, Thea found the courage to say the two words that had shattered her world.

"Dad died."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Oh no! Markus is dead! How could I have done that? Good question. The simple answer is that I took a creative right to murder one of my favorite characters in the series. It's called 'Scarlet's character suicide trip' because each OC death is like a miniature suicide to my soul…poor messed up me.**

**Anyway, this is when I'm going to ask all of my faithful readers to put up their favorite memory – real or made up – about Markus. I think he'd like that. So what do say? And you can leave all of your comments with your memories as well. It'll be awesome! Fire away!**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: If you don't like funerals or viewings, then you might not want to read this chapter. I asked for some memories (from this story or made up) and so far, only my sister came up with any. So, at the end of this sad little chapter, I'm going to ask for something from you.**

**Grab your box of tissues because here we go with the sad little chapter… **

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea sighed as she sat in the car, watching the other cars pass by. It had been a day since she told the closest people to her that her father was dead. He'd died in a car crash and it had been the fault of a drunk driver. Not his. But that didn't make it any better.

Mark had had to console Kari, who had really considered Markus as the father she never had. Drew and Stephen had ordered a round of drinks at the hotel bar and had given a toast in honor of one of their friends. Glenn, he was there with kind words and plenty of hugs, holding her through the night as she cried until she there was no more tears and she fell asleep.

She was on her way home. Her brother had made arrangements with Teddy so she could stay home for a day before coming back to the WWE. Glenn had tried to come with her, but their boss said it was only necessary for her to go. Even Stephen and Drew wouldn't have been able to go if they hadn't already been scheduled to have a break. So Glenn stayed behind and Drew and Stephen were driving with Thea down to her hometown.

"Hey, remember when Markus found the three of us passed out on the floor of the basement?"

"Do you remember when he put us through that boot camp session before he let us take Thea out for the night?"

"Thea, do you remember…?"

"Lass…"

As much as she wanted to laugh and remember the good times she spent with her father and friends, she couldn't stand the memories. Remembering them was agreeing that there would be no more new memories made. There were no longer going to be random boot camp sessions in the back yard or super secret chili. There would be no more wisdom to combat Lee's conspiracy theories or someone who understood her completely and loved her as only a father could. Saying 'do you remember' couldn't happen. It was too final.

"Thea, are you hungry?" Stephen asked, pulling into a drive thru.

Thea looked at him and shook her head. "No…"

"Lass, you've got to eat," Stephen said, rolling down his window. "Markus wouldn't have liked it if you starved yourself before his viewing…Lass, don't make me force you."

"He'll do it too," Drew said, leaning up between the front seats. "Thea, do it for us. Do it for -"

"If you say my father's name, I will reach back there, choke you with your ponytail, and then shove it down your throat!" Thea snapped, glaring at them. That simple voiced anger seemed to take all the strength from her. "I'm…not hungry…"  
Stephen shared a look with Drew. "I'm going to order you a salad...just in case," he said before turning to face the oversized menu so he could speak with an employee of the restaurant.

Thea sighed and looked back out the window of the car. _Daddy, I wish you were here…Why did you have to leave? Why couldn't you have held on for a few minutes longer? Daddy…I miss you…_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So many people were at the viewing and Thea knew most of them. Some were friends of the family. Others were just friends of her father's. Still others were members of the platoon that her father had helped with over the years. And only a handful was family.

Thea sat there in the front, next to her brother, aunts, uncles, and Markus' mother. No tears were in her eyes and when she glanced at the aging woman beside her, she noticed there were no tears in the woman's eyes either. There was simply sadness placed there by the loss of another member of her family. The aged woman glanced at Thea and placed a hand on top of her knee in a comforting way.

The body of her father lay before her in the cherry casket that her brother had bought for him. No matter how hard Thea looked, she couldn't see any trace of the crash and the horrible wounds that had come with it. The morticians had done a really good job of capturing her father's real looks and if Thea didn't know with a pained heart that he was gone, she would have thought that he was simply sleeping in what he called 'testing out my future bed box'.

It hurt to remember that, but Thea knew she'd be hearing a lot of things coming from the mouths of friends and family. The priest cleared his throat and opened his Bible, standing at the podium next to the casket.

Thea listened to the priest talk about her father and how great he was when he was alive. She listened to him say the usual mantra of a rehearsed funeral speech. When the priest was done talking for the moment, people came up to speak of their memories of Markus. Thea's heart clenched painfully and she took her brother's hand, fighting back tears.

"…I remember him as the Drill Sergeant from Hell…" one person said. "He made sure no one stepped out of line and gave us all a hard time in our first month and half on base. KP Duty, extra laps in 110 degree weather…But he was the kind of man that would give you praise freely if you did something good and all of us wanted to make him proud…"

"…He was there with us through the rough times…I remember going months without seeing my new baby girl or my wife and Markus, well he gave me access to Skype and I saw my baby for the first time…That's the kind of man that he was, always giving us what we needed even when we didn't know we needed it yet…He treated us like we were part of the family…"

"…I remember waking up one day to find that Markus had taken all of my Barbie dolls and threw them in the mud with his GI Joe figures…and…" Markus' sister laughed though her eyes were full of tears. "He said it was because the Barbie's were going through basic training…He was always doing something like that because he knew he wanted to be in the army when he grew up…"

"…Markus was always there for me when my own father wasn't…" another sister of Markus said. "…He'd help me with homework and made sure that the boys I was interested in weren't going to hurt me…He was always there when I needed someone to talk to…" She smiled slightly. "…He claimed he was practicing for when he became a dad because he wanted to be better than our dad…And after he met Saki and had Lee, I knew that he was going to be a great dad…" Tears spilled over, sliding down her face. "He was the best big brother a girl could have…and I know he's always going to be watching over us…Thea, Lee, you're so lucky that you got to experience the love of that man because he really was the best there was…"

Stephen stood up and made his way to the front, placing a hand on the closed part of Markus' casket. "Markus was a great man and I knew that the minute I saw him. He didn't really like me at first because he heard that I was going to play a heel and at that time, he wasn't giving heels much thought…but we worked around that and Thea wouldn't let him hate me for long…You see, Markus had a weak spot when it came to Thea's will and he felt that if Thea could trust me, that he could too…I remember so many talks with him, so many nights where we stayed out on the porch just talking about the world…I have yet to find anyone who had so much insight in the world or someone who loved so many people as if they were all a part of the family." He smiled and looked over at Markus' peaceful face. "Markus called me 'son', one of his boys and said that he was honored to call me that…He just had one request of me that he repeated each time he saw me: keep Thea in my heart where I'd protect her at all costs…So Markus, I've done that for a few years now and I'll keep on doing it as long as I possibly can. Rest in peace, Markus…You will be missed."

"Unlike he was with Stephen, Markus always liked me," Drew said and Thea nodded. "He saw me practicing with Thea when we were still out of the mainstream of WWE. He saw how we were around each other and he liked what he saw, trusting me with his only daughter…We had meetings behind Thea's back because he wanted to know more about me…He warned me that my cockiness was going to be my downfall one day and I remember laughing at the old man, telling him that no one was going to keep me down. And Markus, he just smiled like he agreed with me and before I realized it, I was on the ground in one of the submission holds he'd taught Thea with him holding me there…I didn't even see him move, but he had me there and there was nothing I could do but listen to what he had to say…He told me that I was like his daughter with my head so high above the others, but apparently she'd already learned her lesson and had stepped down from her pedestal of Almightiness…I hadn't…Markus reminded me that the nail that sticks up the most will be hammered down and that one day, I'd come crashing down to Earth because my swelled head was going to pop…" He shook his head. "Markus, I didn't want to believe that you were going to leave so soon…You were young and…I'm going to miss you, old man…"

Thea saw that her grandmother wanted to stand up and she gently helped the old woman to her feet. The woman didn't walk up to the podium or stand by the casket of her son. She simply turned to face the gathering of people in the church.

"Markus was remembered by many names. Drill Sergeant, Old Man, American Devil, Annoyance, and many other names that so many of you have uttered this very day and many days prior…But I simply called him 'son' and when Lee and Thea were born, I called him 'father of my two of my best grandchildren'." She smiled down at Thea and Lee. "Children, your father hasn't truly left you. If you ever need him, he's always going to be in your heart, whispering the same advice he'd give to you if he was still on this Earth. If you need to see him or your mother, look at each other. Your father is in you…and do not be afraid to cry, a death is worth your tears, but cry only tears of happiness because what pain he felt on Earth and what sadness he held, he has now been rid of as he lives with the Lord Almighty in Heaven with a place waiting for you and me when it comes time for us to leave the world. And I swear, if any of you drop dead on me before I do, I'm going to bring you back and knock you upside the head with my cane!"

A few people chuckled at that, but a smile barely reached Thea's lips as her grandmother sank back down in her seat. The old woman leaned over and placed a hand on Thea's.

"You should speak," she said. "Speak for your father…"

"But Lee -"

"Has a special gift that he wants to present later," the old woman stated. "Go Thea…it helps with the grief…"

Thea sighed and stood up, walking over to the podium. Everyone fell silent as their attention focused on her.

"There are so many memories that I could recount to you, all of which I somehow shared with my father," Thea began. "He was always there for me when I was growing up. He was always there with a kiss and a band-aid when I fell down and scraped my knee. Dad was always there for me when I had a bad day, making me laugh in only ways that he could. Dad…he was there for me when I lost Damon and he was there for me when I was starting my relationship with Glenn. He was the one person I never minded getting a call from at any hour of the day or night. If ever there was a problem, he'd help me solve it. And his solution for the arguments between me and Lee was simply locking us in the basement until we settled it and liked each other again." She could feel the tears coming but she held them back. "…Dad was there when I had my highs and lows in my wrestling career…He was there for me when I was attacked and each time he was there to help me fight through the pain…and it's not fair that I couldn't repay him. That I couldn't be there for him when he was in the accident… I didn't even know about it until my boss told me about it hours later…and I was so many miles away…" There was no holding the tears back now. "Daddy, I wish you were still here and I wish that I could have stopped them from taking you away…I wish I could have prevented this from happening…Daddy…you were the best dad, the best father in the world…I love you, Daddy…"

Lee got up and hugged her, gently guiding her back to her seat. Thea buried her face against his shoulder and let him hold her as the priest finished the service. He had to leave her with their grandmother because he, Drew, Stephen, and three more men were asked to be pallbearers. Thea watched them as the casket was closed and her father was taken from her view for the last time.

_Goodbye Daddy…_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_Kari's laughter came with the video as she pushed open the door to the locker room. Men, half clothed or clothed only in towels, were moving around the communal locker room until they heard her. There were looks of shock on their faces and some of the men in towels took a step back and made sure their towels were securely in place._

"_Hi boys!" Kari called, waving. "Smile for the camera!"'_

"_Kari! This is the boy's locker room!" someone shouted out of the camera's view. _

"_I just came in to say hi," Kari said. "And I just wanted you to know that I'm making my first home video to document my time with the lot of you. So, say hi and wave to the camera. I want to get most of your mugs on the camera."_

_She did a small turn and captured many of them in awkward poses. R-Truth and John were standing side by side, each clothed only in a towel. R-Truth was faced with a dilemma though. He had his towel gripped in one hand and his toiletries clasped in the other. With a smirk, R-Truth let go of his towel so he could wave and down the towel went._

"_Ron, your towel fell," someone pointed out._

"_I know."_

Not even R-Truth's nakedness could bring a smile to Kari's face as she walked through the hotel, aimlessly. The video camera Markus had given her when she'd stayed with Thea and the others brought her very little enjoyment with its random video clips she'd strung together. She really missed Markus and she felt horrible, knowing that Thea had lost both parents in the span of eight years while she still had her mother.

It didn't seem fair that everything bad seemed to happen to her best friend. While Kari was accepting heaping amounts of luck, Thea seemed to be getting the short end of the stick. She'd been attacked twice in two years, losing both of her parents in eight, and went through the loss of her first potential love.

If Kari thought about it, Thea didn't have much good in her life. What good she had were friends in the WWE, she had an older brother, she had a career that many people could only dream of, she had a boyfriend who loved her, and she had fame. But she had lost so much to get where she was today and Kari was worried about what that would do to her best friend.

Would Thea still be Thea when she came back for the next show? Or would she be someone that was a mere shadow of the person Kari had liked?

_If only I could find the person who attacked her like Markus wanted me to_, Kari thought, turning her camera on to record once more. _Then she'd have one less thing to worry about when she gets back. I should really look for him…the sneaky rat bastard…_

"I don't care how long it takes," someone said, speaking in an agitated voice. "I will keep them on the trail of Mike as long as you keep looking for Thea's weaknesses…Yes, I know about Glenn. How could I forget the stupid giant? He nearly crushed me in the ring a number of times. I don't care if he's the newest weakness. I need physical weaknesses so I can move on to the next part of my revenge."

Kari's eyebrows shot up as she pressed herself against a wall behind a large potted plant as someone walked around the corner. _Well, this is interesting…_

"Just keep looking. I want Thea to pay for what she's put me through," the person continued speaking in the agitated tone of voice. "You keep up your part of the deal and I'll see to it that you get a contract in the WWE by the end of the week…All right. Bye."

Kari watched the person walk away and a small smile appeared on her face. "I've got you now…" She pulled out her cell phone after turning her camera off. "Teddy? I know who the masked leader is and I have proof."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So…the masked leader is about to be revealed at a time where Thea is probably at her lowest point. I am sorry for the people who read this story who have gone through a loss in their family or have lost anyone else that they have loved. You have my sympathy because down in my little town, we've lost too many people in car crashes since I started high school, too many young lives taken…**

**Now, I ask for any of your favorite memories of Markus. They can be totally made up or be extended versions of any part of the story you've read. I will honestly look at your reviews and I will try my hardest to reply to them. This is a simple request, but I'm sure many of you will ignore it and think I'm crazy, so the choice is really yours. **

**Thanks for reading what I've got so far and I'll get an update up when I manage to squeeze in some time. ~ Scarlet **


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Thanks for the compliments about the last chapter I posted. They really made my day a lot better with all that's been going downhill for me lately. Thanks.**

**Now, here's your late update!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn was waiting for Thea when she came back to WWE. Her eyes didn't hold much sadness and she looked a lot better than she had before she left. A small smile was on her face as she slipped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. It felt good to have her back in his arms.

"I missed you," Thea told him as he picked up her bag and started leading her to the elevator. "I really wish you could have come with me. Dad would have liked it if the great Glenn Jacobs could have been there for his funeral. He really did like you…"

"How are you holding up with all of this?" Glenn asked, pressing the up button to summon the elevator.

"I'm fine," Thea muttered, taking his hand. "I talked with Lee and Grandma Grace after the funeral and what we talked about helped with most of the grief. I…I know that my dad's in a better place right now and that he's always going to be watching over me…" She offered him a smile. "Lee made a video where he combined clips of other movies Dad was in with a voice over in some parts. It was…beautiful and Lee gave me a copy so I could see and hear Dad any time I need to." She gave his hand a firm squeeze. "I wish you were there."

"I tried to go with you," Glenn reminded her, stepping into the elevator when the doors opened. "Teddy and Vince wouldn't let me schedule another break with you, even if it was for a funeral. I would have gone with you if I could have, Thea."

Thea nodded and leaned back against the wall of the elevator as the doors closed. "It's all right. I didn't need you to see me crying like a baby. I've never cried so much in my life. Not even when Mom died."

She sighed and closed her eyes, picturing things Glenn could only guess about. "I've heard we have a new wrestler in our midst. Someone Vickie signed personally. Do you know who I'm talking about?"  
"No."

"You don't know about a new wrestler?"  
"All I know is that there's a new wrestler and that he's supposed to be really good. And he's automatically going to be a heel," Glenn said, looking across the elevator at Thea. "If he was signed by Vickie, that doesn't surprise me."

Thea's eyes snapped open. "If he's half as bad as Nick, I'm going to hate going to work."

Glenn nodded in agreement and watched the numbers on the little display screen go up. They came to a stop on the level where most of the WWE roster was staying and stepped out. Thea froze in midstride when she saw someone very familiar speaking with Eve and Natalya.

"Carlos?" Her eyes widened as the man turned around and directed a perfect smile in her direction. "Carlos, what are you doing here?"

Carlos excused himself from the presence of the two Divas and made his way over to Thea. Glenn's eyes narrowed and he wrapped an arm around Thea's waist. Carlos smirked at him, but didn't come any closer.

"Why wouldn't I be here, Thea?" he asked. "This is my new home…WWE is my new playground and I thought you'd be happy to see a familiar face." His smirk widened. "I thought you'd be happy to have the chance to prove that you're still better than me."

Thea rolled her eyes. "You are one of the last people in the world I want to see. Really, WWE has gone downhill if it accepts posers like you."

"Ah, now you wound my pride," Carlos commented, putting a hand over his heart. "Now I know why I've always called you the Viper. You're tongue is as deadly as one…"  
Glenn looked down at Thea. "He was the one that came up with the name Viper?"  
"Unfortunately…and unfortunately, it has stuck with me through the years." Thea frowned. "I really need a new name."

"I could always come up with a new name for you," Carlos offered.

"No." Thea walked around him, leading Glenn away. "I want you to stay out of my way because if I ever see you in the ring, you're going to be walked out of the ring on a stretcher."

Glenn smirked, keeping his arm around her waist with his hand resting on her hip. "You sound a bit feisty today…any particular reason?" Glenn asked.

"That man…he just makes me so mad because of all the crap he pulled when we were growing up. Now he's in my yard, getting all cozy with my friends, and he still acts like a…pig! A narcissistic pig!" She made a fist and smacked it into her other hand. "Once I have the masked leader taken care of, I'll worry about taking out the newest piece of trash."

Glenn nodded and slid his hand in his pocket, pulling out his keycard. Thea touched his arm, making his pause.

"Glenn, has there been any news about who the masked leader is?" Thea asked. "Any clues or…anything?"

Glenn shook his head. "I haven't heard anything."

Kari skated by on a skateboard with her video camera in hand, laughing her head off as a hotel employee chased her. "I KNOW SOMETHING THE WORLD DOESN'T KNOW!"

Thea looked at Glenn questioningly. "Do you have any idea what that was about?"

"She's been going on about that for a day now," Glenn informed her, pulling her into the hotel room and closing the door. "It's annoying a lot of people, but she says she'll reveal everything during the next show."  
"Raw or SmackDown?"

"SmackDown. Your home." Glenn set her bag down next to the bed before turning to face her. "People were missing you. I…missed you."  
Thea smiled, raising herself onto her tiptoes. "Aw…" She brushed her lips against his and felt his arms encircle her once more. "Let's go play a video game and chat…I feel like there's something that I'm missing here."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stepped into the ring, smiling and waving to the crowd that was screaming at her. Kari was already sitting on a stool, watching her walk around the ring. The blonde kept glancing at the Titantron like she thought it would suddenly stop working on her.

"Viper, come sit," she said, patting the empty stool next to her. "I have something important to tell you and I thought you'd like to be the first to know."

"Oh no!" Thea gasped, taking a seat on the edge of the stool. "Don't tell me you're pregnant!"

"No!" Kari exclaimed, her eyes going wide. "Heck no!"

"Um…are you getting married to Undertaker?" Thea asked.

"No!" Kari shook her head furiously. "No, no, no. This has nothing to do with me. Or Undertaker for that matter. It doesn't even involve Kane, well not really. What I have to say is all about you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you." Kari stood up and started walking around the ring. "Now Thea, we know you've been through a lot since you've come to SmackDown. You've had your wins and you've had some heartbreaking losses. Who hasn't? And then you go and get attacked by some fool who was too cowardly to take you on by himself."

She pointed at the Titantron as a photo of the masked leader standing over Thea's crumpled body appeared on it. "That man, shrouded in mystery for so long, has continued to evade our grasp since our investigation began. He's been mocking us from the shadows as we've weeded out the jerks that allied themselves with him and made them pay. And he's always two steps ahead when we think we've found a trail that will lead us to him."

Thea looked away from the screen with a pained expression on her face. "I know, but we're working on it."

"Well, stop it!" Kari ordered sharply. "Work no more. Investigate no more. Just stop looking and wasting valuable energy on the masked leader. I've taken care of everything like the good friend that I am." She turned and looked up the ramp. "Boys! Bring out Thea's surprise!"

The arena went dark and fog started rolling down the ramp. Cloaked men appeared, pushing a coffin down the ramp slowly. Undertaker's music played, but the phenom didn't appear. Thea got to her feet as stagehands appeared and took away the stools.

"Move faster!" Kari commanded, glaring at the cloaked people. "Faster! We don't have all night people!"

The cloaked people didn't change their pace as they guided the coffin down the ramp. Thea watched them, thinking she could hear muffled sounds coming from the coffin. Kari tapped her foot impatiently and leaned against the ropes. The men lined the coffin against the side of the ring and walked away quickly.

"Finally!" Kari said as the lights returned. "I thought it'd be Christmas by the time they got here." She smiled at Thea as she slid out of the ring. "I bet you're wondering what you're surprise is. Maybe a mysterious person we left out of the masked list. Or maybe it's something so much better?"

Thea's eyes locked on the coffin. "Kari…"

"You're right. Why should I make you guess when I can show you the correct answer?" Kari smiled and put a hand on the coffin. "So Thea, here is your surprise."

Kari opened the coffin and in it laid Dolph Ziggler, bound and gagged. His eyes were wide with confusion and his body was damp with sweat. Thea stared at him in confusion as he made muffled sounds of protest.

"Oh, shut up Dolph!" Kari ordered, smacking him on the head. "You weren't this chatty when I put you in here. Unfortunately, your pig of a girlfriend was…No matter." She pulled him out of the coffin and pushed him into the ring. "Thea, here is your present."

"Can I return it?" Thea asked, taking a step back as Dolph came to a stop at her feet. "I'm not a big fan of pleather."

Kari shook her head and climbed into the ring once more. "You can't return him. Not before he opens his mouth and tells you the whole truth." She reached down and untied Dolph's hands, pulling the gag out of his mouth. "Talk."

"It was the Miz!" Dolph shouted, staring up at Thea. "It was the Miz that led the attack! I heard him talk about it in the locker room! I saw him throw away a mask and I have it in my bag. It's got his hair in it! It was the Miz!"

Thea watched Kari knee Dolph in the back. "Miz…?"

"Don't listen to him Thea," Kari ordered as Dolph fell over. "This bird is squawking the wrong tune to mislead you. You see, he still thinks he's in the all clear. What he doesn't know is that I have caught him talking about his naughty deeds at No Mercy."

"She's lying!" Dolph exclaimed.

"We'll see about that," Kari said, sitting on his back to keep him down. "Boys, will you kindly play the video that I brought you?"

Thea's eyes went from Dolph's face to the Titantron as the video started playing.

"_I don't care how long it takes," Dolph's voice said in an agitated voice off camera. "I will keep them on the trail of Mike as long as you keep looking for Thea's weaknesses…Yes, I know about Glenn. How could I forget the stupid giant? He nearly crushed me in the ring a number of times. I don't care if he's the newest weakness. I need physical weaknesses so I can move on to the next part of my revenge."_

_He appeared around the corner, speaking into his cell phone. "Just keep looking. I want Thea to pay for what she's put me through. You keep up your part of the deal and I'll see to it that you get a contract in the WWE by the end of the week…All right. Bye."_

Thea stared at the screen even when the video vanished, her eyes wide and full of pain. Dolph had managed to get Kari off of him and he was crawling over to Thea, touching her knee. Thea jumped as if shocked and looked down at him with merciless eyes.

"Thea, you know I didn't do it," Dolph said, climbing to his feet. "You know I was far away from No Mercy. I wasn't scheduled to wrestle, so what would make me stay in town? I didn't do it."

"The video clearly showed that you did," Kari said, pointing at the Titantron. "I have your ugly mug to prove it."

"The video was blurry and you never got a shot of the man's face," Dolph said, glancing at her. "Your 'proof' is useless."

"Oh, but _this _isn't." Kari said with a smirk. "Mike, I think it's time for your little confession of innocence."

The Titantron displayed the Miz wearing sunglasses and his 'I'm Awesome' t-shirt. He sighed and took off his sunglasses, clearly uncomfortable.

"Thea, I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything sooner. I know you were the only one who believed in my innocence when this whole thing started. Through you, only a handful of others could be convinced of my innocence," Miz said, speaking slowly while staring out at the world of people like he could see Thea. "You never gave up on me even when I couldn't offer you any proof that would clear my name when you asked for it. I couldn't find anyone to give me an alibi because I…was at an AA meeting and I didn't want anyone to know about it. It's not something that anyone should be proud of…"

"Mike…" Thea whispered, staring at the screen while Kari held onto Dolph to keep him from running off.

"Thea, I'm coming clean now because thanks to your little friend, The Fallen Warrior, I have the proof that I am not the masked leader," Miz continued. "I didn't attack you for a second time. I was simply set up by the man standing in the ring with you right now. He said that if I ever contacted you and came clean, that he would end my career and give the police the evidence they needed to convict me. Thea, the real masked leader is Dolph Ziggler."

The screen went black after that. Thea's eyes narrowed slowly and her hands clenched into fists as she turned and looked at Dolph and Kari. Dolph's eyes were narrowed, losing all traces of feigned innocence and he stopped fighting against Kari. Kari saw the look in Thea's eyes and she slid out of the ring with a 'my job is done' and vanished up the ramp.

"So, it was you all along," Thea hissed, glaring at Dolph. "You, who did this to me and the Undertaker…all of this pain, was your doing…"

"No," Dolph said. "Not just me…"

Someone in the crowd screamed and Thea was attacked from behind, something hitting her in the back of the head which sent her crashing to the ground. Thea rolled out of the way of an elbow drop and saw someone in a mask climbing to his feet. A growl tore at her throat as she struggled to get to her feet only to get knocked down by Dolph.

Dolph motioned for the masked man to get back as Thea climbed to her feet once more. Thea's eyes were narrowed and full of Hellfire as she clambered to her feet. Dolph somehow ended up behind her and put her in a sleeper hold. Thea hissed and clawed at his hands, digging her nails into his arms and leaving angry, seeping red lines of blood in their wake. Instead of releasing her, Dolph increased the pressure on her throat, trying to knock her out.

The lights went out for a split second and Dolph's eyes widened in fear. Kane, Undertaker, and Kari were standing in the ring. The masked person looked around at them and Kari and Undertaker descended upon him. Kane went after Dolph Ziggler, who didn't release Thea.

Black dots were starting to appear in front of Thea's eyes as she started feeling weak in the knees. Kane grabbed onto Dolph's arms and pried them away from Thea's neck. She fell between them, but rolled out of the way, rubbing her neck as she fought to breathe. Kane threw Dolph into the side of the ring and caught him by the throat when he rebounded.

"Wait," Thea ordered, climbing to her feet.

Kane stopped in mid Choke Slam, turning his burning gaze upon her. Thea gave him a look and Kane dropped Dolph, backing away with an evil smirk on his face. Dolph turned to look at Thea, challenging her with his eyes, as he got into a defensive position.

Thea laughed evilly and launched herself at him, sinking her nails into his skin as she grabbed him. She twisted his body in so many unnatural directions, causing a wail of pain to escape the man's throat. Putting him in the Viper's Fury stretched so many tender areas of Thea's body, but she didn't release him until she felt muscles starting to tear under his skin and his tormented screams of pain.

She released him and climbed to her feet, kicking him in the side once. Her heated gaze turned away from his pitiful body and landed on the man being held by the Undertaker and Kari. She glowered at him and threw her arms out. On stage and around the ring, the pyrotechnics went off and then the whole arena went black.

A tortured man's scream pierced the silence of the arena and then all was silent.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: He-he…I had to cut it off right there because that's where it felt right to. Let me know what you think about it, please. Thanks! **


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! We're into the hundreds now and it's only been twenty-nine chapters now! Woot! You guys are the best! So here's your reward!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"It's over," Thea whispered as she stood outside the arena, watching the rain fall gently. "After all the hell that we've been through, it's finally over." She glanced at Glenn. "I don't have to be afraid anymore…The masked leader is gone…"

Glenn nodded, leaning against the side of the building as he stared out into the night. "For now, he's someone else's problem." His eyes narrowed. "If I had fifteen minutes alone with him –"

"That's not happening Glenn," Thea said with a small smile. "I don't want you to get in trouble too. If you kill him and get sent to jail, where will that leave me? Whose arms will I lie in at night when the monsters under the bed start partying?" She put a hand on his chest. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me," Glenn promised. "Nothing that Nick could do would hurt me."

"But if Carlos touched you…bad things would happen. That man…he's dangerous. I haven't seen him mad, but I've seen the results of his actions when he gets irritated. When we were growing up, I won the match but he broke my leg. I was out of wrestling for weeks and it took me longer to get it back to full strength. And that was when he was thirteen…he's twenty two now and I'd hate to see what he can do now."

"I can handle him if it comes down to it," Glenn said confidently. "He hasn't experienced my wrath and when he does..." He smirked. "He'll wish he never came to WWE."

Thea sighed and rubbed her neck, closing her eyes. "I shouldn't have used Viper's Fury. Not only was it not enough punishment for Nick's deeds, but…it kind of hurt me."

Glenn reached out and pulled her closer, turning her around so that her back was facing him. With deft hands, he started massaging her shoulders and heard a content sigh escape her lips after a moment. She tilted her head to one side and stared out at the world, feeling her pain just melt away under Glenn's warm hands.

"Glenn…"

"Yes?"

"Your hands are heaven," Thea told him with a small smile.

She could feel a smile cross his lips as his hands slid down from her shoulders, sliding down her sides to rest at her stomach. He gently pressed her back against him and kissed her neck slowly. Thea's eyes fluttered shut and she slid a hand over his hand on her stomach. She guided it lower and then under her shirt so that it rested on bare skin, warming her from the outside as a warmth settled in her core.

"We should get back to the hotel," Glenn said, his breath tickling her ear as he pulled his lips away from her neck when someone walked by.

Thea nodded and let him have his hands back, forcing herself away from him. She started walking to the car when Glenn took her hand and brought it to his lips. A small smile touched her lips and she jumped up and kissed him on the cheek.

The car ride seemed to take forever. Thea kept glancing over at Glenn and their hands entwined on her leg. She wanted the traffic to suddenly disappear so they could get back to the hotel. Glenn didn't seem bothered by the time it was taking to get there, taking his time with a little smirk on his face. It was like he was enjoying something in his head that she wasn't privy to. Time had no meaning to him, but it was starting to grate on Thea's nerves.

Thea didn't spare anyone a second glance as she entered the hotel. She walked over to the elevator and pressed the button once. Twice. Three times for the hell of it. She could have sworn that she heard Glenn snicker at her impatience.

The elevator opened and Thea jumped in, finding her spot in the back corner. Glenn waited until the doors closed with no one else entering before approaching her. Thea shivered under his touch as his fingers brushed over her cheek and ran down the column of her neck. A small smile touched his lips before he lowered them to hers and captured hers in a soul burning kiss that left her dizzy. Thea wrapped her arms around him and felt him pull her close as her knees grew weak.

Thea smiled and led him down the hall to their room, his hands on her hips. The door closed behind them, shutting them off from the rest of the world that no longer mattered. Thea's lips found his again as he pressed her against a wall and his fingers curled in the hem of her shirt, lifting it off. Thea's fists curled in his shirt, pulling him closer to her so she could feel him against her…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea was asleep in his arms as Glenn lay there in their bed, thinking about what had happened. He had done it. He, an undeserving monster, had taken away the innocence of an angel. It had both tormented and pleased him to see the pain and pleasure mixed on her face as he had moved inside of her, slowly claiming her as his own. The Dead Man's brother had taken an innocent girl and claimed her as his.

_Oh Thea_, he thought, looking down at her peaceful face as she snuggled closer to him in her sleep. _What have I done?_

He hadn't meant to change her the way he had. There was a new anger in her that he hadn't seen in her before. She had gone beyond acting when she had attacked Nick, wanting to inflict real pain on him as he had her. She had admitted to wanting to put the man in the hospital and ending his wrestling career early by causing so many muscles to tear in ways that they wouldn't heal properly.

But as soon as the cameras were off of her, she had eased up. It was like she had some control over the beast that lay inside her now. A control that Glenn hoped would never fade, but he didn't know how long she could keep it up if her enemies weren't removed from the scene. If _he _wasn't removed from the scene.

Glenn quietly eased himself out of the bed and took a quick shower. He needed time to think and he couldn't do it with his naked love pressed so innocently against him. As soon as he was dressed, Glenn took one last look at her before leaving the room.

He went to the bar, ordered a beer, and sat there just staring at it for a few minutes. Inside he knew that what he had done was wrong. He was an old fashioned kind of guy deep down – you were supposed to be married before you had sex – and he knew that Markus wouldn't have been thrilled when he heard his daughter had sex without the promise of a ring if he had still been alive that very day. Thea, if she had been thinking straight, she would have probably just had a make out session with him and called it a night, being the daddy's girl that Glenn knew her to be. But in a moment of pure desire, they had both lost control and had let the passion play begin.

He hadn't even used protection and Glenn didn't want to think about the consequences of that. Thea would never forgive him if she came out of tonight's activities pregnant. WWE wouldn't be pleased and the world would hate him for taking away the newest sensation in the wrestling industry. True, they'd still have Kari, but Kari was no Thea and people wanted to see the complex character of the purple haired bombshell. And Glenn, he knew Thea was too young to have children. She hadn't lived her life yet and he still believed that what they had wouldn't last much longer despite what his heart told him and the way Thea acted around him.

How she smiled at his every touch. How she looked at him with complete adoration. How she held his hand without a care in public. How she spoke to him like she could trust him with all of her deepest darkest secrets. Everything in her world seemed to revolve around him…

And Glenn thought that was wrong.

"Stop doubting yourself," Mark's voice broke through the thoughts in Glenn's head. "Stop doubting in the love that the girl has for you. Having sex is not the end of the world for either of you."

"Mark, you don't understand…She's changed because of me." Glenn said, glancing down the bar at his onstage brother. "You saw her anger tonight…"

"I saw the anger of a woman scorned, of a woman hurt too many times before," Mark corrected. "Your touch has done nothing to change her except moving her from child to young woman like the normal course of life. She will assume new responsibilities and mature further, but she will not change simply for you because of your touch. You are no monster, Glenn Jacobs, and Thea will constantly strive to convince you to see what everyone else sees in you."

Glenn looked back down at his beer, his grip on it tightening.

"Do you know what the rest of the world sees in you, Glenn?" Mark asked. "And don't say monster…"

"No…Why don't you enlighten me?"

Mark smirked. "They see a lonely, grouchy old man, just like they saw in me before Kari came into the picture. Women make great changes in a man when they do it out of love. Already, Thea has moved you out of your shell and made you a part of more lives. You're no longer the death of a party and no longer hide in the shadows. Thea has made you a likeable person, more tolerable than the Glenn of the past. And I know that if you let her, she'll work more wonders on you."

"I don't deserve her," Glenn whispered. "Not after…"

"Glenn, your last relationship ended badly. Accept that that woman didn't love you. Stop looking back on the past full of sadness and hate, and look towards the future that you have with Thea, the woman who loves you like you are the only man on the Earth in her eyes…You'll be a lot happier if you stop doubting yourself and decide to give in to your love."

"I can't…I've already hurt her," Glenn muttered, thinking about how hard he had gripped her hips when they had made love. "If I give in anymore, she could end up worse."

"Ask Thea if she cares about a little bruise. Ask her if that kind of pain bothers her at your hands when you're both in the throes of passion. Ask her and you may be surprised about what your answer is…"

"But-" Glenn looked down the bar again, but Mark was no longer there. He looked over his shoulder, but the man was nowhere to be seen. "Figures."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea rolled over and touched Glenn's side of the bed, her hand passing through empty air. Her eyes fluttered open and a small sigh escaped her lips when she realized that Glenn wasn't there. He wasn't anywhere in the room. Thea sat up, hugging the sheets to her chest.

A knock came through the darkness. Thea sighed and felt around the floor for her underwear, pulling them on. She put on the first shirt she could find and found that it was Glenn's shirt. She couldn't muse on how it smelled good since the knock came again.

"I'm coming," Thea said, walking over to the door. "Mike? What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling the hem of Glenn's shirt down farther to cover more of her legs. "Shouldn't you be out celebrating your victory?"  
"Victory?" Mike looked confused.

"Your name has been cleared. Nick's the bad guy. You're no longer the target of hate..." She smiled slightly. "Well, not hate from No Mercy at least. As the Miz…I can't say that people don't hate you."

"Right," Mike smiled. "Thea, I have you to thank for the confession of innocence and clearing my name."

"Actually I think you should go to Kari for that." Thea pointed down the hall. "She's in the last room on the left."

Mike looked down that way before looking back at Thea. "I wouldn't have told anyone anything if it hadn't been for you," he admitted. "I wouldn't have come clean about my whereabouts during No Mercy and I wouldn't have even called you to say that I'd been set up. I wouldn't have done any of it if you hadn't believed in my innocence."

"Mike, I just…I didn't want to believe that you would do something so stupid again," Thea said, leaning against the door. "I knew you were too smart to risk your career like that again. And I thought that you hadn't touched alcohol since the last attack. I had to give you the benefit of the doubt, even when you weren't being too forthcoming with the answers."

"I'm sorry about that. I was afraid that Nick would overhear me talking to you and then it would be over for me…That man kept close tabs on me to make sure that I didn't do anything to blow his cover. He was that crazy about getting revenge on you."

"I know…" She sighed. "I don't think being nice to him would have helped that at all. Nick is just an evil person and it's going to take some extreme help to get him to change. I bet he still feels justified in trying to take me out."

"Yeah." Mike slid his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "What are you going to do about Carlos?"

"I don't know. He's worse than Dolph in some ways and twice as dangerous when you give him credit. I'm going to have to wait to see what Shane and Teddy think about this before I put too much thought into this. I just know that he's going to shake up the playing field if he's kept here for long. And it's not going to be pretty."

"He's that bad?"  
"Have you seen Kane on a bad day?"  
"Yeah."

"Think that, times three."  
Mike shuddered. "That's something I don't want to think about. Thanks for the nightmares I'm probably going to have tonight, Thea."

Thea smiled. "I'm sure your dreams are going to be nice ones because you were cleared today. The danger has passed and you can move on with your life."

Mike nodded and held a hand out. "Thanks for believing in me, Thea."

Thea smiled and shook his hand. "Hey Mike…"

"Yeah?"

"I forgive you."

A smile crossed Mike's face as he realized what that meant and he walked away with that bright smile on his face. Thea smiled and watched him disappear down the hall. Kari popped out of her room and trotted down the hall, holding Mr. Squishy like a football.

"Have you seen Mark?" she asked.

"Nice hair Kari," Thea laughed, looking at the mess that was Kari's hair.

Kari's eyes narrowed. "Your hair doesn't look too hot either, Ms. I-Just-Woke-Up-After-Sex," she said. "Now tell me where Mark is."

Thea ran a hand through her hair. "I haven't -"

"Never mind," Kari said, looking down the hall. "I know where he is."

She trotted down the hall once more and disappeared into an elevator. Thea rolled her eyes and wandered back into her room, thinking about getting some more sleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: There ya go. They finally had it. I hope you're happy, even if I didn't describe the whole thing to you. I'm sorry, but I can't do sex scenes. I can write them, but they sound terrible and make me sad because they suck. (Everything sounds better in my head, and then on paper…it sucks.) But you can picture what you want with them.**

**I think I've lost some reviewers on the way here, so if you're new, talk to me. Let me know what you think and I may talk back to you. Who knows? And if you're interested in being a Facebook buddy, let me know too! **


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: We've hit 110 reviews in 29 chapters! That is awesome guys! You make me so happy when the world seems so gray! So, here's a little update for you all!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea walked out of the gorilla entrance with Kane by her side. Dolph was already in the ring with Carlos and Vickie Guerrero, all of them looking slightly furious. She smirked and jumped up onto the apron, eyeing Carlos with disgust. His face was neutral as he fixed the collar of his suit. Kane held open the ropes for her and Thea slipped into the ring, keeping her distance from the group of ultimate narcissism.

Teddy's music played and the man came out with a smile on his face. Thea smiled at him, holding the ropes open for him when he was by the ring.

"Now Dolph, we all saw what happened last week," Teddy said, getting right to the point when Vickie demanded to know why they had all been called out to the ring. "You were revealed to be the masked leader of No Mercy that put Thea and the Undertaker in the hospital. You attacked her for no reason -"

"I had every reason!" Dolph snapped, glaring at the older man.

"Be that as it may player, you're in some serious trouble," Teddy continued with a warning look at Dolph. "There has to be consequences for your actions and you're lucky that I've already talked with Thea, The Undertaker, and Mr. McMahon about how they think you should be punished. And player, you're not going to like what they have in store for you."

"He'll take the community service and fines," Vickie said, speaking for Dolph. "Just like the others." She gave Thea a look. "And she'll get her stupid apology."

"Sorry Vickie but that's just not going to cut it," Thea said with a small smirk. "Your little boy-toy hurt me. He drew my blood. He hurt me in ways that you could only imagine. Now…it's his turn to suffer."

Teddy looked at Dolph. "Dolph, Mr. McMahon says that you have to forfeit your Intercontinental Championship to Thea."

"No!" Dolph exclaimed, twisting his body away from the group as if that would protect his precious belt. "She can't have my title!"

"She's not a male wrestler Teddy," Vickie pointed out, gesturing at Thea with a look of disgust on her piggy face. "She can't claim the title as her own."

"I'm a Superstar, Piggy," Thea said, glaring at the woman. "I wrestle men, little boys like your boy-toy, and fat pigs like you. So unless you want something bad to happen to you, I'd back off and shut your damn mouth before I shut it for you."

Vickie looked horrified and took a step back as the crowd cheered. Kane cracked his knuckles threateningly, his eyes locked on Dolph and Carlos.

"Dolph, hand over the belt," Teddy ordered, but Dolph shook his head. "Listen, if you don't hand it over, Mr. McMahon says that you'll be fired."

Dolph shook his head and Vickie gave him a look, whispering something that Thea didn't quite catch. Dolph touched his belt and then held it out, not meeting Thea's gaze. Teddy took the belt and offered it to Thea. Thea smirked.

"I know someone who will look really good with this belt around their waist," Thea said with a devilish smirk as she draped the belt over her shoulder. "I wonder if _Kofi _will like it."

That seemed to touch a nerve because Dolph lunged at her, but Kane got in the way, a hand ready to put the boy in a Choke Slam. Vickie got in the way and screamed at Kane. He made a face and returned to his spot by Thea's side.

"What Thea does with _her _belt is not your concern Dolph," Teddy said, putting a hand up to silence any further ranting from Dolph. "Player, you're going to have plenty of time to think about what you've done because as of tonight, you're suspended until further notice. In the time you have off, you're going to have to write a lengthy apology letter to each of the people that you've hurt whether physically or emotionally. And let's not forget the WWE Universe. You're going to have to write them a letter too. A sincere apology.

"And then you're going to be kept busy with community service all over the country. We've already signed you up for a number of things, but if you sign up for more, we may consider that good behavior and take some of your time off your sentence." Kane shook his head. "No? Well, we'll see how things turn out in a month or so."

Thea watched the little emotions flicker behind Dolph's eyes as he looked at Teddy. He was finally getting punished for what he had done to her. She had no doubt that he would become more evil with the time that he had to himself now. There was no telling what he'd do when he got back. Would he try another attack on her? Would he go after the people involved in his downfall? What would happen?

"And don't think we've forgotten about you, Carlos," Teddy said with a small smile. "You haven't even debuted yet and already you've caused trouble. We know you've had a hand in the No Mercy fiasco. Do you deny it?"

Carlos smirked, looking Thea dead in the eye. "No. I deny nothing."

"Mr. McMahon thought it best if Thea come up with your punishment, since you two have history," Teddy announced, glancing at Thea. "He said nothing is unreasonable given the circumstances that you were hired under and what you've done."

Thea had to force a smirk on her face as she looked at Carlos. She couldn't stand the cool waves he was sending off, like he knew that she wouldn't dare do anything that would end his career. Well, he had another thing coming.

"Carlos," she began. "Carlos, Carlos, Carlos…what will I do with you? Should I give you the same punishment as your puppet master? Should I make it double the amount?" She smiled and looked at Kane. "Or should I make you go against my mentor and let him beat you around a bit until I come to a decision?"

Kane smirked and looked at Carlos through narrow eyes. Thea's eyes lit up and she snapped her fingers.

"I've got it!" she said with a bright smile.

"Well, what is your punishment for Carlos?" Teddy asked, sounding rather interested.

"I want a Lumber Jack match against him," Thea told him.

"Oh, that's so scary, little Viper," Carlos said sarcastically. "I don't see how you could scare me more with that over my head."

Thea smirked. "And if Carlos loses, he's fired with no chance of coming back to the WWE _ever_."

Carlos' cool smirk vanished in an instant. His eyes narrowed and he ground his teeth together. Thea smirked into the face of danger and laughed into it silently. Kane grabbed her hand and lifted it up in the air as if she was already declared the victor. Thea adjusted the belt on her shoulder and threw her microphone at Vickie Guerrero, who shrieked and fell on her butt. Dolph bent to help her and Thea kicked him.

"You'll think twice about attacking me again, Bleach Face," Thea hissed, matching his glare with one of her own. "Won't you?"

Dolph glared up at her and remained silent. Thea scowled at him and turned, leaving the ring with Kane following her. She had a game plan to formulate.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kari stared at the door to Kane's locker room, not moving. Triple H and Shawn Michaels appeared next to her and Triple H waved his hand in front of her eyes.

"Kari? What are you doing?" Triple H asked.

"I'm waiting for the door to make a decision," Kari whispered, staring at the door with perfect -concentration.

Shawn Michaels cocked an eyebrow. "But doors don't make decisions. They're just…doors."  
"Yeah, big slabs of wood with little hinges and a door knob," Triple H agreed. "They're not living."

"Kane's door is." Kari stated, her fingers twitching a little. "Kane's door knows all. Sees all. Hears all. It is alive…"

Triple H and Shawn Michaels looked at each other. "Really?"\

"Yeah…It stands there, watching the world with hidden eyes. It sees only right and wrong, worthy and unworthy, evil and good," Kari explained, her eyes widening a little as she spoke. "It hears everything you want to keep hidden in the dark corners of your mind. All the secrets in your heart. It stands there, knowing all of your doubts, your sins, your triumphs, and your righteousness. And it will judge you as it has Kane and recently…Thea."

"Kari, I'm pretty sure that it's just a door," Triple H said, but Shawn Michaels made a shushing sound like he was really interested in what Kari had to say.

"The door stands there as a judge, waiting for someone to dare approach it," Kari whispered. "There lies a hidden world behind its solid wall, a world that no one knows about but those who pass judgment." She held a hand out as if to touch the door. "The door can see into your soul and if it is not pleased, it will burn you from within. The door will destroy your soul!"

"Really?" Shawn Michaels stared at the door for a moment before looking away.

"The door can do all of that?" Triple H asked.

"No." Kari looked at them with haunted eyes. "Or can it?"

The doorknob turned and mist started coming out from under the door. Kari's eyes widened and she pointed at the door.

"The door is angry!" she exclaimed, backing up. "The door is going to burn our souls! Run!"

Triple H and Shawn Michaels ran away after her, no one looking back as the door to Kane's locker room opened completely. Thea poked her head out and looked around.

"I thought I heard someone," she muttered, heading back into the locker room. "Okay boys… let's get back to the plan…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane stepped away from the cowering form of Carlos, watching him get assaulted by other wrestlers who had been called out for the Lumber Jack match. Many of them were wrestlers who had participated on either side of No Mercy, some helping a friend while others were making amends for their crimes at No Mercy. All were after Carlos, who had already been roughed up by Thea in the ring before she kicked him out of the ring.

His eyes sought Thea's as he looked back towards the ring. She was pacing the ring like a caged animal, eyeing the brawl outside the ring with calculating eyes. He knew she was waiting for the other wrestlers to get tired of beating up the man who had aided Dolph, so that she could continue her assault on him.

"Kane," she said, looking at him. "Bring him here."

Kane turned and made his way towards the brawl. Carlos was being supported by two wrestlers so that another could keep punching him. When they noticed Kane, they released Carlos over to him. Carlos tried to punch his way out of Kane's grip, but Kane was beyond feeling pain. The man's blows that would have normally brought him to his knees, had no affect on him but to further enrage him.

Kane slammed the man's face into the corner of the ring, smacking it against the metal pole. The man moaned and Kane threw him into the ring, letting Thea have her fun. He watched her kick Carlos in the side before walking over to the corner of the ring and climbing up to the top rope. She had her back to the ring and did a back flip with a twist that had her knees landing on Carlos' chest. The man gasped and cringed away from Thea, moaning in pain.

"Get up," Thea ordered, glaring down at the man at her feet. "Get up Carlos. Fight for your job. Fight for yourself. Fight or lay down and take your punishment."

Carlos clenched his teeth together and climbed shakily to his feet. Thea smirked and launched herself at him, pulling him into Cobra 9. If Kane was really honest with himself, he wished she had put Carlos in the Viper's Fury because that would have been the end of the match. But it wasn't.

Carlos used his free arm to punch Thea upside the head. His face was twisted up in pain, but the man was fighting through it in attempt to get out of Cobra 9. Kane could see the sweat forming on Thea's brow as she fought to keep her hold on Carlos, but he could tell that she was losing her grip the more Carlos fought against the hold. With a final punch, Carlos got to his feet and slammed Thea back into the corner. Thea's grip slackened and Cobra 9 was defeated.

Kane's teeth ground together as Carlos unleashed a series of blows that knocked Thea to the ground. With a growl, Carlos picked Thea up and threw her over the side of the ring, intending for her to land on the ground with a splat. The other wrestlers hurried over to her side and helped her to her feet, daring Carlos to come out and try to pull a stunt like that again. A hateful look was cast Carlos' way as Thea climbed onto the apron and she baited him, tempting him to come closer as she placed a hand on her stomach with a hiss. And Carlos fell for it.

Thea ducked down and kicked him under the chin, sliding between the ropes. She unleashed another kick to his throat and watched him stumble backwards, gripping his throat. She lowered herself close to the ground, watching him like a hunting cat stalks its prey. He came at her and Thea swept his legs out from under him, knocking him to the ground. She grabbed him, twisting muscles and body parts, pulling him into a submission hold that Kane had only seen once in tapes that Thea had shown him. If he remembered correctly, it was the Python Strike and was almost as painful as the Viper's Fury. And it had sentimental memories attached to it.

Carlos found no way out of that submission hold, finding it harder to breathe as Thea's grip tightened around his throat. Kane smirked as the man tapped the mat as his eyes started to glaze over. Thea released him and smashed his face into the mat with a disgusted look on her face. Carlos lay on the ground, rubbing his throat as he gasped for air.

"You're fired," Thea whispered, climbing to her feet, only to stumble back against the ropes. "Get your things and get out of Undertaker's yard, don't come back or I will find you."

Kane watched her slide out of the ring on shaky legs and held her hand up in victory. Her eyes were not lit up with the victorious glow that used to come there when the crowd cheered for her victory. It was like this was one victory that she didn't want.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stood there, just thinking. She'd said her thanks to the people that had helped her win the match and she had watched many of them leave. Carlos was in Shane's office, taking care of papers and watching Shane tear up his contract. Nick was already out of there, leaving a trail of destruction in his path. Thea knew she should be happy, but she wasn't.

The door to Shane's office opened and Carlos walked out. He took one look at her and turned, walking away from her.

"Carlos," Thea said, following him. "Carlos, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"No. You had your chance and you blew it."

"No I didn't. I defended myself. You were the one who could have entered the WWE and actually had a career that would have lasted, had you not had a hand in No Mercy," Thea corrected him. "So _you _were the one who blew your chance." She hesitated. "Why did you do it Carlos?"

"Why are you asking me that?" Carlos demanded. "Why aren't you automatically assuming that I'm a monster like Nick? That I'm evil and manipulating."

"Because I know you. I know that you wouldn't really want to hurt me…I'm your ultimate prize and any flaws -"

"Thea, you don't want to know why I did what I did," Carlos stated, shouldering his gym bag. "Trust me when I say that you don't. Just leave it be and move on with your life. You won't have to worry about me again because I can't come back here and bother you. So just go back to your boyfriend and forget about me. Okay?"

"Carlos…"

"No, love, no." Carlos reached out and caressed her face. "I will never tell you what it is. I can't stand the thought of your face if I did tell you. The pain…I couldn't go through with that again. I'm not that heartless." He pressed his lips against her forehead. "Keep a place in your heart for me, little Viper."

Thea sighed and watched him walk out of the arena. "Goodbye Lightning…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: What is Carlos' secret? Will we ever find out and when are Thea and Glenn going to be forced apart? These are the questions that you must find the answers to at a later time. Writer's block is a pain in the butt, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. **

**You know what to do. Click the little button at the bottom of the screen that says 'Review' and leave a note for me to read. Thanks! ~Scarlet**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: I'd like to say – again – that you guys always put a smile on my face with your reviews. But as some of you may already know, I have to do something to my favorite love pair and you aren't going to like it.**

**That's right everyone. This is the chapter where it all goes downhill for Thea and Kane…stay tuned.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea lay there with her head resting on Glenn's chest, listening to his heart beat and his slow breathing. She ran her fingers over his skin, tracing little designs that popped in her head. Glenn's breath hitched for a moment, making her fingers pause, but he didn't seem to wake up. Her fingers resumed their tracing, following the lines of muscles under Glenn's skin and gliding over the thin film of sweat that covered his body.

It was moments like this that made her think about how lucky she was. She had the perfect boyfriend and she was happier than she'd been in a long time. Even her father's death didn't bring her down when she was with Glenn these days. Every moment…it was pure Heaven on Earth when she got to spend it with the man that she loved more than the world.

"I love you, Glenn," Thea whispered as she stopped tracing the designs on his stomach. "I love the way you make me feel. I love feeling like a shy little girl when I'm around you and how you bring out the woman in me…But mostly, I just love being with you…talking with you, just sitting with you anywhere, holding hands…I enjoy the little things more with you and you make the big things seem all the more magical, all the more special…and I like that. You're my rock, my comfort when bad things come knocking on my door…You're everything a girl could want in her boyfriend…you're everything that _I _want in my other half. And…" She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "I will never ask you to be something that you're not…you are perfect the way you are and I love you for your flaws…and I'll prove to you every time we touch that we belong with each other…"

Glenn's arm moved, his hand shifting on her hip, but still he didn't wake up. Thea looked up at his peaceful face and smiled a little smile.

"People may say that you don't have the right look. That you were smacked with the ugly stick, that you were on the shallow end of the gene pool when it came to looks, but looks don't make the person. And…if truth be told, you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. They're so deep and full of emotion…and they pull me in every time that I look at you. They were the first thing I noticed about you when we first met…and they're the first thing that I look at when I see you because your eyes are the window to your soul…I want that connection with you. I want you to see my soul too…

"It may seem silly and very cheesy, but I like to think that I've found myself in a modern day fairytale…we've had trials, really crummy moments…and we found our true love…at least, I think we did." She frowned, running her fingers over his stomach. "Glenn, I know you don't think you deserve me, you probably never will…but I don't think it's that way at all. I really don't think that I deserve you…I mean, let's face it. I'm an eighteen year old girl, trying to make myself look invincible in the face of danger…I haven't really experienced love and hardship while you've faced so much more than I ever could…you know so much and I know…well, I don't know a lot…If anyone doesn't deserve the other in this relationship, it's me. I don't deserve you, but I'm going to fight like hell to keep you. Because I love you that much Glenn…I really love you…"

She lifted her head and kissed his cheek before sliding away from him. She picked up clothes and headed for the bathroom, feeling her way along the wall. A small smile was on her face, knowing that Glenn might have heard her little spiel about her love for him did that to her. As long as part of him had heard her speak, that's all that mattered to her.

Thea's cell phone vibrated on the bathroom counter after she got dressed and started fixing her hair. She sighed and picked up the phone, checking the message that was left over. Kari was demanding that she come down immediately to participate in a girl's only day.

Thea smiled and slid out of the room after grabbing her purse. She was humming as she stepped out of the elevator moments later, smiling at the four other Divas that were waiting for her. Her smile fell when she saw the looks on their faces as they stared at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Thea, where did those bruises come from?" Eve demanded, pointing the light marks that stood out against Thea's pale skin on the exposed part of her hips. "They look like they were made from hands. Large man hands."

"Um…"

Maria looked at Beth and shook her head. "Let's forget about that for right now," she said. "Let's just get to a store to see if they have early morning discounts." She looked in her purse. "Hold on. I forgot my cell phone. I'll be right back."

Thea watched her friend walk away, not quite believing her story. Maria _never _forgot her cell phone.

_Glenn, I have a really bad feeling about this day…_she thought, glancing at Kari who was staring at the bruises like they were going to come alive and eat her. _Like something really bad is going to happen because I forgot to hide the bruises…Oh God, please don't let something bad happen to Glenn!_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The punching bag swung back as it was violently punched, never quite making it back to the forward swing before it was knocked back again. Glenn kept it moving with lightning quick punches that kept it mostly away from his body. People would have thought that he was working off some built up anger if they saw him working out like he was, but he wasn't angry. He was happier than he had ever been in his life.

He had a steady job that many people would kill to have. He was in his prime and at the highest point of his career with no end in sight. He had finally found someone that loved him back as much as he loved her and he could make her happy. He was making friends again beyond Mark Calaway and he was thinking of his life in a more positive light these days.

Life was great for him.

"Oi Jacobs!" someone said, making him stop punching the bag.

"What?" Glenn asked, turning only to get punched in the face and then in the gut by two different fists.

He stumbled backwards, doubled over and clutching the side of his face. A livid looking Stephen and Drew were standing there, their fists clenched and their jaws tight as they stared at the taller man. Glenn cocked an eyebrow and straightened, letting his hand drop to his side.

"What was that for?" he demanded, but they ignored him.

"How does it feel to be beat down?" Drew snarled, glaring at the older man. "How does it feel to have a grown man's fist hit you? To feel powerless? How does it feel?"

"I-?"

"Do you feel like a man when you're beating on an innocent woman?" Stephen growled. "Do you feel all powerful when you leave marks on a cringing woman who wants nothing more than to love you? Well, do ya?"

Glenn didn't understand what they were talking about. He didn't know how to answer their questions. And he didn't understand why they were attacking him like they had.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Glenn said.

"Don't play coy with us, Jacobs!" Drew snarled. "We've seen the evidence! We know what you've done to her! What we don't know is why you did it…We thought you loved her!"

Thea. They were talking about Thea, but what about her he wasn't sure of.

"I didn't do anything to Thea," Glenn muttered.

"Don't lie to us!" Stephen snapped. "We know what you've done to her! We've seen the bruises on her body! We don't need any more evidence to bring your sorry ass down for domestic abuse and battery!"

"Bruises?" Glenn's brow furrowed and then reality dawned on him. "I can explain those."

"Explain it to the police once we get Thea to go to them, you slimy rat bastard!" Stephen hissed, pulling his fist back. "Markus trusted you with her, his only daughter! And you betrayed them both! How could you lay a hand on Thea?" His eyes narrowed into slits. "I'll make you pay for this!"

The atmosphere of the room changed, growing colder. Mark appeared by Glenn, causing Drew and Stephen to step back and lower their fists.

"Do not touch the man again," he ordered. "This will not serve the justice you want…"

"No, but it's a start," Drew snapped, glaring daggers at Glenn. "The rat bastard deserves it!"

"I didn't -" Glenn couldn't form the words through all the pain he was feeling.

"Farrelly, Galloway, go to your friend. Talk with her before you do something that you will forever regret…"

Drew stared at Glenn for a moment longer before he made a face and stalked off. Stephen raised a hand and pointed a threatening finger at Glenn, his chest rising and falling rapidly in his anger.

"If Thea can't prove to me without a doubt that your ass is innocent…I will kill you, Jacobs!" Stephen swore before he too walked off.

No one spoke until the door to the gym closed behind the two men. Glenn looked at Mark with a pleading look in his eyes.

"I didn't –" he began.

Mark lifted a hand to silence him. "I know that you didn't hurt Thea. You are not the only one who has forgotten to maintain complete control over their strength at all times. Marks will be made, but will fade in time if left alone…"

Glenn's hand clenched into a fist. "Thea…she told them that I hurt her even after she told me that she loved me. After everything that we've done, all the moments we've shared…she betrayed me with this lie!"

Mark said nothing for a moment. "You should talk with her."

Glenn's jaw tightened and he nodded; his good day suddenly turning into a very horrible one as he realized what he had to do. "Yes I do."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn was waiting for Thea when she entered their hotel room, but he didn't smile as he watched her set aside her shopping bags. He noticed that she didn't smile either as she looked at him. There was love and pain in her eyes, but there was no regret. No sign that she felt sorry for what she had told her friends about him. No sign that she felt bad for the lies.

"Glenn…" she began, taking a step towards him.

"You lied to your friends," Glenn mumbled, turning his gaze away from her. "You told them that I hurt you…"

"No! Oh Glenn, no!" Thea said. "Glenn, I didn't tell them that! I'd never -!"

"Don't lie to me, Thea!" Glenn snarled, climbing to his feet. "Your friends attacked me because they heard that I abused you! That I – who loves you with my entire being – left bruises on your body in a rage! To express my dominance over you! Isn't that what you told your little bitch friends?"

Thea's eyes narrowed. "Glenn, now you're going too far. You can say that I am lying, but do not call my friends _bitches. _They've been nothing but nice to you. And -"

"I'm sure you are all talking bad about me behind my back, aren't you?" Glenn demanded, glaring at her. "You're all probably talking about what I did today or what I didn't do! You all probably call me 'monster' when you begin to talk about me! Is that how you see me? Is that what you really see Thea?"

"No!" Thea reached out to him but he swatted her hand aside and moved past her. "Glenn, I love you! I'd never call you a monster! To you or with my friends. I didn't tell them that -!"

"Do you want to see the real monster in me?" Glenn demanded, his anger flaring up unexpectedly. "Do you?"

He didn't wait for an answer before he up-righted the chair in the room and threw it. Thea jumped back and watched him throw her bags around. She ran towards him, trying to get him to calm down. She was pleading with him, begging him to calm down and listen to her. She wanted to explain, but Glenn still couldn't see any regret in her eyes. He couldn't stand that.

With a growl, he grabbed her around the waist and threw her on the bed. Thea cried out as she collided with the headboard and Glenn could see the fear in her eyes as she looked at him. Her eyes were wide with fear and she was trembling as his heated glare locked on her.

"Glenn…" she whispered, her voice meek to his ears.

Glenn tore his gaze away from her, his anger melting away at the sound of her fear. He hadn't meant to put so much fear in her. It wasn't his goal to scare her like this…

"I'm…sorry," Glenn whispered as he grabbed his bag and opened the door.

Thea called his name as he stepped out into the hall, but Glenn closed the door against her cries. He walked away with tears in his eyes, feeling like the world was coming to an end.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stared at the door, tears falling from her eyes as what had happened played back over and over in front of her eyes. She hugged her knees to her chest and leaned her head back against the headboard, staring at the door like Glenn would come back at any moment and take her up in his arms.

Moments passed and he didn't come. He wasn't coming back, she realized and a sob tore through her body as her heart broke.

"Glenn…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: And there you have it, the little scene that you all dreaded. It's not as well written as the other chapters that you've enjoyed so much, but it had to be done this way. And now…may come a time where I do not know what to write since there is so much hard feelings in this little bit…I may lose the will to write the remainder of the story and simply go straight to them getting back together. Wouldn't that be nice? But no…I'll see what I can procure for you.**

**As always, reviews are nice! ~Scarlet**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: So, late update, I know. I've been busy building egg drop containers for Physics, studying for Honors Chemistry, failing College Algebra, and writing essays for scholarships…so please give me a little break.**

**Anyway, this chapter is just as gloomy as the last and the next one, so be prepared to be depressed. **

Thea didn't see Glenn for a couple of weeks. He traveled with the WWE roster, but he never stayed at the same hotel or he was never around when she went looking for him. He was completely avoiding her and when she asked around, no one could offer her much help. Some still believed that Glenn had hurt her, while others believed the story that she told them. One of the believers of the truth happened to be Shane.

"Yeah, I've seen Glenn," Shane said, sitting across the table from Thea as he picked at his lunch. "He didn't seem to be in a good mood though."

"Really?" Thea sighed. "I guess that would be my fault…"

"Did you two get in a fight?" Shane asked.

"Yes…why?"

"Well, he didn't seem happy when I mentioned how well the WWE Universe is responding to the Viper and Kane relationship." He frowned. "In fact, he said that he wanted out of the current contract. So, I was thinking that the two of you hit a rough spot and decided to call off your real relationship."

Thea sagged back against her seat and looked down at her hands. "You could say that, but we haven't really talked, so I don't know if our break up is official…It feels like it though. I feel so…empty inside."

"That's a break up for you," Shane said. "Now, I'm going to leave it up to you on how you're going to end the current storyline. You could do a little monologue or you could appear during one of his matches, make him lose, and then have a little argument behind the scenes where you severe ties with him."

"Oh…will that mean I'll still be a rookie?"

"I don't know about that. It's really up to my father and the rest of the board." He smiled. "I have some really good news that should brighten your day though."

Thea was doubtful. "What's that?"

"Well, someone has heard that you've always wanted to be a movie actress and they want you to be in a new movie," Shane told her.

Thea's eyes lit up and she straightened in her seat. "What? Really?"

"Really. He wants to meet with you before the next taping of SmackDown and he'll give you the script and your part then."

"I…I…This is awesome!" Thea exclaimed with a smile appearing on her lips. "But…are any of the other Superstars going to be in the movie?"

"Like John Cena? No."

"But there's a catch, isn't there?"

Shane looked at her and frowned. "Well, you're going to miss work for six months and…" He sighed. "You're going to have to change something about yourself…"

Thea knew what he was looking at and sighed. "I knew it was going to have to happen someday…especially if I wanted to get a decent part in a movie."

Shane slipped a hand over hers and offered her a supporting smile. "You're going to do fine and make this company very proud of you. I know you will and you have the support of your entire WWE family behind you. Cena will support you, even if you beat him in the box office. You will be missed by everyone and we'll welcome you back – rookie or not – to the ring once you get back from the set of your movie."

Thea smiled, but inside she didn't feel the smile. "Thanks Shane."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kari screwed her face up and stuck her nose in the air. "Me Kane…Me smash buildings when someone insults me! Roar!" She jumped up and ninja kicked a cup off of a low wall.

Thea frowned and looked down at her. "That's not funny Kari."

"Of course it's funny," Kari said, letting her face relax. "It's about Kane and his puny little brain. Wait…I just thought of something else!" She glowered. "I'm Kane…I inhabit the shadows of the night and on slow nights, I just jump out and scare people with my stinky breath."

Thea looked away from her. Kari sighed and leaned against the wall, frowning up at her friend. "Thea, you really need to get over him. Glenn…he got mad and he walked out. It's kind of obvious the man doesn't want to be around you after what he did to you."

"Don't tell me you still believe that he hurt me," Thea whispered.

"Of course I don't. I've been bruised by Mark in the same area, but you don't see people going crazy over me. I had the sense to hide my tokens of affection." Kari cocked her head to one side. "Glenn…he just walked out after throwing you away and right now, I'm sure he's thinking he's some kind of monster. From what you told me, he scared the hell out of you when he was mad."

"I'm just not used to him getting so angry with me," Thea muttered before sighing. "But I guess I don't have to worry about it anymore with him avoiding me like he has… Tonight, I leave SmackDown for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood…"

Kari patted her on the knee. "It'll be good for you to get away. With everything that's happened…" She shook her head and smiled. "You know, boys are stupid." Kari jumped up onto the wall and cleared her throat. "Oh boys, how stupid you are. Let me count the ways…Like how you always leave the toilet seat up in a place full of girls when it would be so easy to just point and shoot with the seat down…And how you must put everything imaginable on a hotdog and then gas us all out in an elevator…"

Big Show, walking by, heard that last part and smiled. "Sorry Kari. I won't do it again."

Kari shook her head. "What's done is done, Big Show. I won't forget it. Now…on with my rant..." She cleared her throat again. "Boys, you are stupid as you never ask directions, rather choosing your own path into oblivion. And you think that what's down there is more important than what's up here," she said, pointing at her head. "And you think that the size down there matters more than the size of here." She pointed at her heart. "Oh boys, you truly are stupid."

HBK and Triple H appeared out of nowhere and listened in on the rant until Kari seemed to draw up more blanks than words. HBK gestured at Triple H, who smiled.

"Boys are stupid. They chase the wrong girls around when they have the perfect one waiting for the boy to notice them," Triple H said. "And boys are stupid because they never know they have a good thing until they lose it forever."

"Boys are truly, very stupid creatures," HBK commented. "They seek one time pleasures and run out on the ones that could be the love of their life…Boys - they don't see the pain they cause when they run out on a beautiful, young woman. And –"

"Wait, wait, wait," Kari said, jumping from the wall. "You can't say anything bad about boys. You are boys."

Triple H looked at HBK. "No, we aren't." He smirked and puffed out his chest. "We're men."

Thea rolled her eyes and then HBK placed his hands on her knees. She raised her gaze to his and saw his face take on a new softness as he looked at her. It reminded her of the way her father used to look at her.

"A boy is stupid because they don't understand that love sees no faults, no age, nothing but the other half of their heart," he said gently. "A boy is truly stupid when he lets the love of his life go without ever knowing _what if…_"

Thea smiled a small smile. "Thanks Michael," she whispered.

"Any time darling," HBK said, tipping an invisible hat at her before he walked off with Triple H.

Kari looked after the two men and frowned. "What was that about?"

"None of your business," Thea told her.

Kari shrugged, sensing that Thea was feeling a little better. "Parkour time! Time to be Spider-woman! Woo!" She jumped off the wall, doing a small back flip with a twist. "Come on Thea. We've got a couple of hours to warm up and I want to be able to run laps around John! Come on!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn knew that the hardest time in avoiding Thea would be during the taping of SmackDown. She seemed to be everywhere and he needed to avoid her in case she still had that fear in her eyes. He couldn't stand the memory of the fear he had created in her in a moment of pure, irrational anger. It was something that haunted him at night.

He was starting to withdraw into himself again and people seemed to be sensing it. Some were trying to keep him involved with group things and others were deeming it a lost cause because they still believed that Thea had been harmed by him. Apparently, she was trying to convince them that it wasn't his fault that she had the bruises on her, but even Mark and Beth couldn't help her with that.

He stared at the TV he had in the little dark room he had managed to hide out in. Thea's music played and Glenn tried to remember if she had a match that night. Being away from her for a few weeks hadn't helped him memorize her schedule, but he thought she was due to have a rematch with Kofi who had taken her Intercontinental Championship belt from her last week. But as he watched her trot down the ramp, he noticed that she wasn't in her ring clothes. No, she was in regular clothes, which meant that she was going to speak. And Kari wasn't with her, so that meant this wasn't part of Apocalypse Corner, instead it was going to be a little monologue, unless someone wanted to interrupt it.

_What are you doing Thea? _Glenn thought, watching her climb into the ring with sadness in her eyes that he hadn't seen in awhile. _Is this how it ends?_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stood there, listening to the cheers of the WWE Universe for a moment as she flexed her grip on the microphone she'd been given by a stagehand named Christine. She smiled slightly at the signs people had made that dotted the crowd, wishing that they still held the truth. But there was no truth in the Kane and Viper signs anymore. Tonight, she had to end it.

"A lot has happened to me since I came to SmackDown," Thea began. "I've beat some of the greatest Superstars in the entire WWE. I've been beaten by still other great Superstars. Hell, I've had my ass kicked to the hospital for a week. But I've made it through it all because of people like you. And I know, that when I leave for my upcoming movie, that I'll have your support all the way."

The crowd roared and cheered. Thea smiled and waved to some people.

"But before I leave for my first movie, there's one little matter I've got to clear up," Thea told the audience. "As you may have noticed, my mentor hasn't been standing by my side for a few weeks now. His absence should be explained to you now…The big man, he's decided that I'm not good enough for his plans, so he's decided to leave me. And the _coward _doesn't have the nerve to tell me why to my face. He just left and now, it's my turn to leave. But before I go, I'm going to speak with Kane because I know that he's watching me from under some rock or pit of Hell…

"Kane…I'm sorry that I let myself fall in love with you.I'm sorry that I let you wind your way into every part of me so that I can't find a part of myself that is not connected to you…You see when you left me, you didn't severe the connection. Not completely.

"I can still feel you…I feel you with every fiber of my being. I know what you're doing. I know what you're feeling every moment of the day. You're hurting. Hurting because your heart is breaking…just like mine. Hurting because you know… you know that what you said was untrue. I didn't tell anyone what you heard I did…I defended you. I protected you and still…you're angry with me.

"Now I would be more upset for the lack of training sessions for the two of us if I wasn't about to go off and make a movie…but still, I don't see why you're punishing me for something I didn't start…Of course, you won't believe me. You never do…Not when I said that I loved you, not when I told you that you weren't a monster…Fine! If you won't believe anything I say…You are a monster! You're a vile, twisted monster and I fell in love with you for a reason that I don't know. Maybe it was for your power or maybe it was for the sake of falling in love…I don't know why and now I'm suffering because of it.

"I want you to face me like a man…Come out here and tell me where I am wrong. Tell me that you hate me if you want…You can't bring me any lower with your words, your silence has done quite enough of that on its own. Come out here in the next minute before I walk out of this ring…Come out and end this pain that we share Kane…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn could hear her begging for him to come out. She wanted him to face her, so she could make amends and have a face to face conversation with him before she left. It was a struggle not to give into the pleading tone in her voice. He could hear her pain. She was in agony through all of this and it had been at his hands that she had become this way.

It was his fault and he…

He could not see her like this…

_I'm sorry Thea…._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She stood there waiting. A minute passed and her heart ached a little more. She sighed, bringing the microphone to her lips once more. "So, we're done with this, are we? There's no more magic connecting us. The magic spells, they've faded at the stroke of the clock and the lies of a perfect love echo in the silence…Our magic is dead, our love has died…And I…" She shook her head and lowered the microphone for a moment. "And I have died inside…"

The microphone fell from her hand and the lights went out for a brief second. Undertaker had a hand on her shoulder and Thea reached back and placed her hand over it, closing her eyes against a wave of tears. There was a flash of blinding light and the two of them were no longer in the ring.

Backstage, Thea looked at Drew and fell into his arms, her eyes spilling over with tears. Drew rubbed her back and hugged her tightly.

"It's going to be all right, lass," he promised. "He'll see reason eventually. You just worry about your movie…Everything will be all right…"

_But when will the pain stop? _Thea thought, closing her eyes against the tears. _When will I find love like that again?_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Aw…I feel sorry for my OC now. I hate putting my OCs through these kinds of things, but it had to be done. Now, stay tuned for more drama and more sadness. Because after this, we're taking one big time jump.**

**As always, review!**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Merry Early Christmas everyone! I see we have some new readers and reviewers, welcome. Welcome back to all of my older reviewers and readers. Now, on with the story!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Six Months Later…**

"_I understand that you're banned from using a cell phone during filming, but you could at least sneak off and give your old brother a call on your cell. Please sis…There are some things that I need to go over with you…It's important and I thought you'd like to know about it…Give me a call when you can. I love you…"_

"_Thea, lass, we haven't heard from you in a long while…will you please call us? If not us, just call me or call someone…Let us know that you're still living on this little world of ours or I'll be down there in a flash to wring your pretty little neck after getting some answers out of you…Call someone love, there are some things you need to know about going on at SmackDown…and you're not going to like it…Just call me…"_

"_Lass, Stephen's getting worried about you…And I'm getting worried too. I know you're director put a ban on cell phone usage during the taping, but it's been six months, taping should be done. Call me."_

"_Thea, old buddy, where have you been? I think filming should be over with by now, so you can come back…Like now. Like right now…Why aren't you here yet? Please come back because there are a lot of things that we need to catch up on and some of them are good, while others are…not so much…You need to get back here. Undertaker can't keep the forces of evil and chaos back for much longer…And who is going to bring me cupcakes? Please call me, Thea, or I'll teleport and get you...Okay? Call me…"_

"…_Thea, call me…"_

"…_call…"_

Thea put her cell phone down as she reached into her pocket and withdrew a number of bills for the taxi driver. "Here, keep the change. I won't need a ride back, thanks."

The driver tipped his hat in Thea's direction, reminding her of Michael and Mark. A soft little smile graced her lips as she slid out of the musty taxi and she closed the door behind her. The taxi driver didn't recognize her, but she didn't expect him to. Things had changed for her. _She _had changed with the help of her director and some costars.

_Sorry boys, but you're going to have to deal with the silence for a little bit longer_, Thea thought, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jacket. _There's something that I've got to do before I get back to wrestling…something more important than the situation of the roster._

She sighed and made her way over the neatly cut grass, winding her way past stones and memorials. Once she stopped to fix a memorial that something had knocked over and offered a little prayer to the child that was buried there. With a heavy heart, she went over to the Andrews' section of the cemetery, reserved for only the Andrews' clan. Her eyes scanned over dozens of headstones, marking the graves of her family members long gone and not quite forgotten.

"Daddy, I need to talk to you for a moment," Thea said, coming to a stop in front of her father's headstone. "I need some advice and…the home tapes aren't giving me much help. Please, help me figure out what I've got to do…" She knelt down at the foot of her father's grave. "Daddy, please…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kari glared at Kane as he stepped into the ring, interrupting her little spiel. He had no right interrupting Apocalypse Corner, just like he didn't have a right to beat her boyfriend up every Friday. She pulled on her DX t-shirt and leaned back against the ropes for a moment, watching Kane stare her down.

She didn't like the new Kane that he'd become. He was so cruel and heartless now. Every Friday and Sunday that he could, he'd beat the tar out of Undertaker and she couldn't stand that. The Kane of the past wouldn't have done that if Thea were around. He wouldn't have even dreamed about touching the Dead Man, but…

_Thea, why aren't you back yet? _Kari sent her thought out to the heavens, hoping that maybe Thea would hear it from high atop Hollywood. _We need your help here. Kane…Kane's gone evil with you gone…Your last words…they really got to him…Please, come back Thea._

She let her gaze wander away from Kane for one moment, looking out at the crowd. There were some signs out there, calling for Viper to come back. Some were even proclaiming that Thea had stolen the humanity from Kane and that she needed to come back to stop the destruction. A few Kane and Thea signs still dotted the crowd, reminding her of a happier time.

"What?" Kane asked, his voice cold and bitter sounding to Kari's ears. "Are you looking for a way out of here like when you ran, abandoning your former Master? I thought you were a Warrior."

Kari's eyes flashed in his direction, narrowing with hate. "I had to abandon the Undertaker because he told me to leave. Being close to him, meant that I had to be close to you and he didn't want your filthy ways be spread to me. He didn't want me to become a monster like you!"

The man behind the Superstar's eyes looked hurt, but it was gone in an instant. His face wrinkled in disgust and fury. "You haven't seen a monster yet, little girl! Just because you abandoned my brother, doesn't mean you've found a way to escape my wrath! Oh no, I remember exactly what you've done to me and I know that you are one of Undertaker's weaknesses…"

"Undertaker doesn't want anything to do with me anymore Kane," Kari said.

The Big Red Monster smirked. "You may say that, but deep down, you know it's not true. We both know that the Dead Man, my brother has feelings for you. Why else would he send you away in hopes that I would not pursue you?"

The corner of Kari's lips twitched. "Isn't that the same for you?"

"What?"

"Don't you have a weakness still walking this earth?" Kari asked. "A slender, spunky creature who had you wrapped around her little finger for weeks?"

Kane's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't? Huh…I think you're lying because everyone knows about her. You'll be hard pressed not to find someone who knows her now that she's got a movie out. And of course, she has plenty of loyal fans here." She smiled and looked out at the crowd. "You guys know who I'm talking about, don't you?" The crowd cheered. "You all miss her?"

The crowd roared with the name, but it wasn't clear on so many tongues. Kari's smile widened as Kane's jaw tightened. Kari turned to face him once more with a devilish smile on his face.

"What's this?" she asked. "Does the Big Red Monster miss her too? Do you miss T-?"

"Don't say her name!" Kane snarled, pointing a threatening finger at her.

"Ooh! A finger! A finger is pointing at me! I'm so scared!" Kari laughed. "Really? After all that big talk and fire and brimstone, this is what you have left over for me? A pointer finger? Really…I'm sure _Thea _is staring at a TV screen somewhere, laughing her head off at the fool you've become, Kane."

Kane's eyes narrowed and his hand dropped, but Kari could see the pain in his eyes.

"That's it, isn't it?" Kari asked, taking a step forward. "That's why you're being a jerk to everyone. Why you are acting out on the Undertaker and the rest of the WWE roster…Are you – are you trying to get Thea's attention? Are you trying to send a message to her that she needs to come back? That you want her back?"

Kane's eyes narrowed and he turned away, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. His anger was starting to build as she watched and Kari knew she didn't have much time before he blew up.

"Kane, you were the one who threw her away," Kari reminded him. "You…hurt her and didn't say a thing before she walked out of all of our lives because of you. It's your fault she's gone…the movie was just her excuse to run away as fast as she could. It's your fault!"

Kane threw down his microphone and advanced on her. Kari pressed herself back against the ropes, preparing to leap forward and slide out of the way. But behind Kane, there was a blur of black and green and suddenly, they weren't alone in the ring.

Kane whirled around to attack the new comer, obviously thinking that she was more of a threat than Kari was at the moment. Kari could see sunglasses and black hair, but there was no identifying mark on the woman to tell her who the hell she was. But the woman had some nerve coming into the ring during Kane's angry outburst.

The woman in sunglasses dodged Kane's fist and planted her foot in his stomach, forcing him away. This only made him more furious and he snarled as he advanced on her again. She leaned back against the ropes, wrapping her arms securely around the top one and let him advance on her. The moment he tried to attack her, she flipped over the ropes, sending him careening over the top rope to the ground below with such force that it knocked the wind right out of him.

Kari stared at the woman as she flipped back into the ring. She only knew one person who could do that to Kane and one person who would dare to attack Kane without the fear of revenge.

"Is that you?" she asked, taking a step forward.

The woman smiled and bent to retrieve Kane's microphone. The cameras zoomed in on her as she reached up and pulled her sunglasses off. Kari's eyes widened as she looked into the ice blue eyes of the woman.

"Hey Kari," the black haired woman said.

"Oh no!" Kari exclaimed. "Your hair's black!"

Over the sound of the crowd, Kari could hear the commentators trying to figure out who the woman in the ring was, but she already knew. She knew who she was and what that meant.

"Thea…" Kari breathed as the phenom turned to look at Kane as he climbed onto the apron of the ring.

There was a cruel little smirk on her lips as the phenom stared into the eyes of the Big Red Monster. "I'm back, Kane."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane's eyes widened as he took in the new appearance of his ex-lover. She'd dyed her beautiful hair deep black and clothes defined the new, lean muscles she'd developed. And the thing he couldn't wrap his head around the most was…she was back.

She took a step in his direction and Kane released the ropes, jumping down from the apron. A little smile graced her lips as she watched him back up.

"Paul Bearer won't be there to protect you for long, Kane," Thea swore, leaning against the ropes and staring him evenly in the eye. "I'll make sure your reign of terror ends and the Undertaker gets what's really his." Her smile widened. "I'll even help you find your humanity again, if you want me to."

Kane turned and hurried away. He couldn't believe that Thea was back. He had thought that she'd never come back to SmackDown, but here she was. She was fresh from her movie and ready to take on the world again. Ready to take on him.

_Thea…_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Yay! Thea's back! Perhaps it's time for Thea and Kane to get back together? No? Well, if you insist, I'll keep them apart for a little longer. Please review until I have 130 and I'll consider giving you another early Christmas present. Thanks. ~ Scarlet**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Merry Late Christmas! I hope everyone enjoyed their favorite holiday of the winter and are ready for the next year to come. **

**For everyone who reviewed, thanks. And those that favorite-d, I thank you as well. This chapter is…well, it's just what it is. You decide for yourself.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea couldn't breathe. Kari was hugging her far too tightly and was screaming how much she had missed her in her ear. She was sure that she was either going to pass out or become deaf before Kari would release her. And then she'd have to face everyone else and their own welcome back surprises.

"I can't believe you dyed your hair!" Kari complained, releasing her to let her breathe. "What was wrong with the purple and black streaks?"

Thea reached up absently and ran her fingers through her black hair. "The director wanted me to dye my hair halfway through the movie when things grew _difficult _for my character. She needed to blend in and her natural hair would work best, so bye-bye went the purple."

"But…it's something that made you stand out," Kari protested, stamping her foot. "It set you apart from the other Divas and it drove Layla and Michelle crazy! Everyone loved your purple hair!"

Thea held her hands up in surrender. "I know. That's why I'll get my hair dyed again, eventually. But right now, I need to rock the natural look. Just let me figure out where I stand in this chaos and then I'll worry about the little things."

Kari was silent for a moment, looking like she had a million things going through her brain at lightning fast speed. She picked one thought and voiced it.

"I'm not Undertaker's rookie anymore," Kari informed her. "I'm a DX girl now."

"But what about the match between Kari and Viper that's supposed to happen to prove which rookie is the most powerful in alliance with the Brothers of Destruction?"

"It's not going to happen." Kari shrugged. "After you left, a lot of storylines got changed. Kofi's now in pursuit of the Intercontinental championship that Nick stole from him again. We've got a new pig-head by the name of Alberto del Rio and he's been roughing up Rey and Christian. Edge has come back to SmackDown and is being less of a jerk than I remember. CM Punk has broken up his Straight Edge Society and Serena was fired… And you know about the mess in Raw with Nexus and John Cena. Stephen can't stay out of trouble and lost his belt to Randy. Everything has gone to Hell in a hand basket since you've been gone."

"I know. I've seen some clips of matches on the web." Thea sighed. "Things have sure gone downhill in six months."

"Six months, two weeks, three days, and sixteen hours," Kari corrected with a small frown.

Thea rolled her eyes. "I'll do my best to help fix the situation. Starting with Kane."

"Doesn't everything have to start with Kane?"

Thea was silent.

"Oh, by the way…Drew got married while you were off the radar."

"What?"

"Yeah, he got married to Taryn, but they haven't seen much of each other because Tiffany got suspended for a little while. Criminal issues, you know? Never thought she had it in her." Kari crossed her arms. "And John is dating Mark's oldest daughter. Kofi's in a close relationship with a stagehand named Christine. So not really everything behind the scenes has gone to Hell with the on screen things."

"Drew got married?" Thea jumped away from the wall and looked around. "Why didn't anyone tell me that?"

"Because you were on a cell phone ban," Kari reminded her. "And then you didn't call any of us, so how were we to tell you what's been going on?"

She had a point, so Thea didn't answer.

"Just be glad that you know everything now and know that I'll forever be glad that you are back. Maybe you can help Glenn get back to the way that he was before you left."

Thea's eyes clouded over with pain and sadness. "I…I don't know Kari."

Kari put a hand on Thea's arm. "Please don't tell me that you're still upset about what happened…"

"How can I not be Kari? Glenn was the first real love of my life…How can I forget what happened between us? There was no closure! I can't stop the hurt…not without him…"

Kari's eyes shone with sadness. "Glenn's been hurting too. He's tried everything to get rid of the hurt – drinking until Mark had to drag him back to the hotel…he even had a brief relationship with Layla, but she knew she couldn't fill your shoes, so she ended it. He's thought of doing everything short of killing himself and facing you, but nothing works. He can't do anything to help himself without coming to you and he's not going to do that because he's punishing himself… So, it's going to be all up to you."

"Up to me…Hmm…" Thea sighed and sagged back against the wall. "I don't think I can do much. I'm just as bad off as he is…only I didn't try to add someone to the mess…"

"Well, maybe that's your problem," HBK said, materializing out of nowhere. "Maybe you need to add someone to the mix and make old Glenn _want _to come back to you so he can fix what's been broken."

"But who would want to be added to the mess when I'm so miserable?" Thea asked with a frown.

"Leave that up to me," HBK said, hooking his arm with hers. "But for now, let's go see if you're still Kane's rookie or if there's a way out of it. Come along Kari, dear."

"Right!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn stepped into the gym of the hotel he was staying at, remembering a time when he'd come there and realized the love he'd been developing for Thea. The memory was still there and he could see the two of them training in the corner like it was yesterday. It made his heart clench painfully in his chest to see the smiling face of Thea flash before his eyes followed by the last day he'd been with her.

_I can't go on much longer like this_, Glenn thought, sitting down on one of the benches as he stooped to pick up a weight.

He sat in silence for a few minutes, alternating arms after twenty reps of weight lifting. He needed to think, but all of his thoughts were about Thea. Layla hadn't been much of a distraction during their brief time together. In fact, she'd made it worse because every time he was with her, he'd compare her to Thea in his head and he was never satisfied after they slept together. He craved Thea's touch, her kind smile, a gentle touch that no one but Thea could give. He wanted her, but he couldn't have her because he didn't deserve her.

If he had ever been a monster, it was worse than ever now. He had hurt people. He'd attacked the Undertaker and he'd reverted back to drinking like there wasn't a bottle big enough to quench his thirst. He scared people with the evil vibe that he gave off and he knew that he wasn't going to stop until someone reached out their hand and helped him. He was too far gone to help himself…

A soft laugh came from the front of the gym and Glenn lifted his eyes, hope dimly glowing in them. Thea stepped through the door and turned, looking back over her shoulder at someone that he couldn't see. It was all he could do not to run over to her and fall to his knees to beg for forgiveness.

Then Randy Orton stepped in and took Thea's hand in his. Glenn stared at their hands in horror for a moment. When had that happened? When had Thea taken Orton as a friend? As a boyfriend?

"We need to work on your legs," Randy said, leading Thea over to an exercise machine and completely ignoring Glenn's presence. "I know you're good at kicking, but we need to work on getting you to jump higher. You'll have some really tall rivals to jump over and all vertical ability can help."

"You know best," Thea crooned, situating herself at the exercise machine. "So after this Monday, you're coming to SmackDown, right?"

"Yes. Unless you want to move to Raw…" Randy said, watching her work out her leg muscles. "I'll have to give up my belt, but it'll be worth it if I get a rookie like you."

Thea smiled and Glenn's heart sank. That was the kind of smile that she used to send his way. Now she was sending that smile at Randy and Randy was going to be her mentor? He didn't like the thought of that. The man was worse than he was and he'd hurt a number of girls in his past, being the ladies man that he was.

_Thea, get away from him while you still can_, Glenn thought, grinding his teeth together as he set the weights down, only to lay back and lift a heavier one up without a spotter.

"I can't wait to start actual training again," Thea commented. "I haven't had the chance to get in a ring and fight someone for real. It can't come fast enough for me to get there. The ring is my home."

"Mine too." Randy smirked. "I think this relationship is going to work out nicely. We have so much in common, Thea. Hell, even our ring names are the same. And I like you a lot."

Thea made a small shushing sound. "Let's not talk about that here…"

_Please don't_, Glenn thought, feeling like his heart was going to be torn into a million pieces. _Please don't speak of something so foul as a relationship with that man…You're an angel and he's a demon…don't fall prey to him, Thea!_

Randy's eyes lifted from Thea's and landed on Glenn. Glenn put as much hate as he could into the glare he sent Randy's way. The younger man smirked.

"Hey Glenn, I didn't see you there," Randy said, tossing a towel over his shoulder.

Glenn grunted in response and he saw Thea lift her head to look at him. Her eyes had sadness in them that he didn't want to see. He'd put it there and he would give anything in the world to have it removed. He wanted her happy. He wanted her to smile at him like she used to. He wanted to hold her and –

"I'm sorry I roughed you up," Thea apologized. "I was just told to make a scene and that's all I could think about doing. I hope I didn't hurt you."

"You didn't…" Glenn muttered, her fearful eyes flashing before his again.

"Glenn, I have to go against you in a match next Friday," Thea announced. "If I win…well, you won't be my mentor anymore. If you win, you will be until the McMahon's tell me differently."

"Oh…"

"I just thought you'd like to know," Thea told him before looking back at Randy. "Do you think we can go out for some waffles after we exercise? I want some chocolate chip waffles."

"Sure thing," Randy said with a smile.

Glenn felt like he was going to get sick. He stood up slowly, dropping the weight back in place and grabbed his towel. He couldn't stand to watch Thea be touched by the man anymore. He couldn't stand to hear her banter back and forth with him like they were so close. He couldn't stand the thoughts of what could have been if he had stayed with her. Maybe he would have been sitting there with her, talking about her future in SmackDown and her upcoming matches. Not Randy.

_Thea…what have I done?_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: The real question is: Scarlet, what have you done? And here's your answer: I don't know. This just came out and I don't know what to make of it. But, there's always more chapters ahead. I just listen to my Kane muse because sadly, that's all I have of wrestling anymore…Oh well. Review please! Thanks! ~Scarlet**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Aw…hardly anyone reviewed me. Have I made you guys upset or something? That wasn't my goal, well, not really anyway. Please come back because things are going to get better, I promise!**

**(Sorry, I uploaded the wrong chapter to the wrong story. My mistake.)  
**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stepped back and looked at the costume designs that she was presented with. The costume designer, Jess, was describing colors and patterns that she thought would look good on Thea, even after Thea would re-dye her hair purple and black. And many of the designs were beautiful and Thea would have loved to see all of them in her closet, but she knew it just couldn't be like that.

"So, there's going to be a hole cut out in the chest of this top in the shape of a heart?" Thea asked, pointing at one design. "What goes on the back?"

"A heart with red thorns wrapped around it," Jess said, flipping a page of the sketchbook. "Mr. McMahon wants to keep a little hint of your ties with Kane in your costume even if you win the match at the end of the week. That's why the heart in the back is cracked. Kane broke the Viper's heart…right?"

Thea nodded, even if she didn't want to think about it. She picked up another design and touched the fabric sample. "I…I like this one and the heart one. I'd like to wear the heart design on Friday, if at all possible."

"Of course it's possible," Jess assured her. "I just need to get some measurements…"

Thea patiently let the woman measure various areas of her body. She saw Glenn standing off to one side, talking with one of the script writers. She quickly looked away when she saw him glancing her way, not wanting to let him see her looking. It still hurt to look at him and she didn't know how she made it through the first time she stepped out into the ring with him, but somehow she did…

"That should be all I need to make the costumes," Jess said, scribbling something down on a piece of paper before draping her measuring tape around her neck like a scarf. "I'll need you on Wednesday to make some final adjustments if needed." She smiled. "I believe you have a photo shoot to get to, don't you?"

Thea smiled and nodded. "Yeah, Teddy wants to have me displayed in the newest issue of WWE magazine."

"But won't that mean you'll have to run into you-know-who?" Jess asked, glancing in the direction of Glenn. "He's scheduled for a photo shoot today too."

"Oh really?" Thea sighed and grabbed her purse. "Well, I can handle a short meeting with him. We're probably scheduled at different times anyway. There's nothing that's going to hold me back this time."

Jess nodded and started gathering her things. Thea cast a glance over her shoulder at Glenn and frowned. He was openly watching her now. Thea looked away from him and started walking. She heard him say a farewell to the script writer and heard him start following her.

"Thea…" he said.

Thea stopped walking and heard him stop as well. "What do you want Glenn?"

"Are you – are you with Orton?" Glenn asked.

"If I am, why should you care?" Thea demanded, turning to look at him. "Why should you care about what I do these days?"

"I can't pretend that what we had didn't happen," Glenn said, looking away from her. "I'll always worry about you and your decisions…"

"Well, you can stop," Thea told him bluntly. "I know we were close. We shared so many moments, but that's in the past. You put it there. You did. Not me. If you hadn't, we'd still be close. We'd still be holding hands in public and we'd still be in love, but you had to ruin it all because you couldn't get it into your thick, oversized head that I would never spread those kinds of lies about you, about us. I defended my position and you took up yours and threw me aside like I didn't matter. Like what we had didn't matter.

"So don't you dare go around, asking if I'm with someone or not. You were the one that made me available again. You pushed me into the dating scene once more and you were the one that broke your own heart. It's your fault that you wake up alone and spend the whole day alone. It's your fault, not mine. One day, you'll realize that you made a mistake and that you still love me, but when that day comes, there could be another man who already realized that, waking up beside me."

"Thea…"

"Don't apologize to me, Glenn. You don't mean a thing you say to me. And you wouldn't give me closure before, so I'm not granting you the closure you want. I can't do it, not anymore. You made me harden my heart to the point that I'm just like you and now you're going to have to suffer like me." She adjusted her purse on her shoulder. "I kept Mike hanging by a string, never forgiving him until he deserved my forgiveness. You are going to have to wait for years before I even _think _about granting you forgiveness."

"Why would you make the two of us suffer?" Glenn asked quietly.

"You changed me, Glenn. I'm not the same person I was six months ago. I'm older, wiser, and harder than I was back then. And I'm not going to let you worm your way back into my life easily. You don't deserve an easy road anymore because you took my love, my heart, and broke it into thousands of little pieces. I loved you, once upon a time, and you couldn't accept that. But maybe someone else can."

She saw the pain and sadness in his eyes as he looked at her. A large part of her ached at the sight of his pain, wanting to put an end to it. She wanted to run up to him and hug him, just to hold him in her arms once more. It took all of her will power to keep herself rooted in place with a frown on her lips. Thea couldn't grant him mercy now, not after everything she had said to him. All the lies of being harder, of being stronger…they were simply lies. She felt so weak and broken without him and she knew she would readily forgive him if he asked for forgiveness, but she had to keep him dangling on the thin wire she had him on. This wasn't the time to forgive him; he had to realize everything she had once told him was true before she could make amends.

"_The boy needs to understand what he's lost and what he wants with every fiber of his being…Once he turns around and sees that you are the only thing in the world that he truly wants, he'll turn and give you back the happiness that he took from you…"_

The words of Michael floated through her head, giving her strength to move on from this conversation. Thea crossed her arms as she watched Glenn open his mouth to say something and then give up, closing it once more.

"Glenn, I have places to be," she said coolly. "I have a photo shoot to get to, friends to meet with for lunch, and I'm scheduled for a walk through of Raw with Randy. So, if you have nothing else to say, I've got to go."

Glenn looked at her and turned away. Thea watched him walk away with his shoulders slumped in defeat. She felt her strength leave her and looked away, feeling tears come to her eyes.

_Don't cry Thea…Don't cry for something that will turn out all right in the end…Dad wouldn't want you to cry…Be strong for him and HBK…Be strong…_

But her strength was fading quickly and Thea turned and walked away from Glenn, wishing that things could have been different for the two of them.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea waited patiently at a table in the restaurant that she told Drew and Stephen that she'd meet them in. They showed up minutes after she'd been seated and had huge smiles on their faces. Thea hadn't called them since coming back to SmackDown because they'd been on vacation from WWE, spending some time with their families. It did her good to see them again.

"I missed you guys," she said as she climbed to her feet so that they could exchange hugs. "You seem shorter than I remember."

"That's because you seem to have had a last minute growth spurt," Stephen commented, waving his hand over her head. "You must have grown one or two inches since we last saw you."

A smile crossed Thea's lips. "I did grow two more inches."

"And you seem to have lost it here," Drew said, squeezing her side. "Honestly lass, you were skinny enough before. Why'd you have to lose weight?"

"I didn't lose weight. I just exchanged fat weight for muscle." She sat down in her seat and motioned for them to sit down as well. "But enough about me, I want to know what's been going on with the two of you."

Drew smiled as he took a seat across from her. "Well, you'll be happy to know that I'm officially off the dating scene. Taryn and I have been married for a few months now."

"Where did you get married?" Thea asked.

"In Las Vegas."

"Oh, so you eloped," Thea muttered, sagging back in her seat. "Here I was thinking that you two had a huge wedding with hundreds of guests and all the things of Taryn's perfect picture wedding. Something big and flashy."

"No, it was small and only a few choice friends were invited," Drew admitted. "Except for my best friend."

"Tell me that you at least wore a kilt to the wedding."

"Nope. I wore a traditional tux."

Thea looked at Stephen for confirmation. He nodded. "The lad wasn't allowed to wear a kilt because it didn't suit Taryn's fantasy." He smirked. "Of course, if he did wear kilt, their wedding night would have been more entertaining, I suppose."

Thea sighed and looked away for a moment. "Well, there goes my dream of you and Taryn's wedding. It had kilts and big churches all rolled in one. But if you're really happy about how things turned out, I won't complain too much." She smiled at Drew. "So, when are you going to start working on children?"

"One step at a time love," Drew said, holding his hands up. "I can't think about children with all that's been going on with my wife and WWE. Maybe next year."

"Fine, but I expect to be godmother of some children two years from now," Thea stated before her eyes turned to Stephen. "And the same goes for you, Mister. I want to see some fire haired mini-Sheamus kids running around the arena."

"Lass, I don't even have a wife yet," Stephen pointed out.

"Well, do you at least have a girlfriend?" Thea asked, resting her chin on her hand. "Because that's the last thing I told you to get before I left."

"Well…I'm with Barbara," Stephen admitted.

Thea's jaw dropped. "You're with Kelly-Kelly? The unattainable, dancing goddess Kelly-Kelly? When did that happen?"

"A few weeks after you left, we just ran into each other and started talking. We have more in common than I thought, lass."

"Everyone in this trio has a relationship that's working out. Everyone but me," Thea muttered. "I miss the good old days when we were all single and happy, but I'm glad that you two have found happiness with two really great people. You deserve some happiness in your lives."

"You do too, lass," Stephen said, placing his hand over hers on the table. "You know that we're sorry for being the cause of your break up with Glenn and we're going to do everything in our power to help you find someone to fix your broken heart. If we have to do blind dates, then so be it."

"I don't want someone else," Thea whispered. "I only want Glenn…If I didn't want Glenn, I wouldn't have agreed to pretend to be interested in Randy. I know Glenn hates the way Randy looks at me, he always has. It'll hurt him to see me with him, but if that's the only way to help Glenn realize that what I told him before is the truth and that he's not…a monster…then I have to do it." She sighed and closed her eyes. "I just want him back now…"

"Thea, we'll help you get him back," Drew promised with a small smile. "We'll do some prodding and get Glenn moving in the right direction. You just leave that up to us and worry about your upcoming match where you'll kick Kane's ass and earn the right to be a fully fledged wrestler like Kari."

"Right," Thea said, opening her eyes once more. "Have I said that I've missed you guys yet?"

"Yes, but we never tire of hearing it."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn sat back in his seat as he watched Thea do a walkthrough of her little appearance on Raw. Randy kept her hand firmly grasped in his as the two walked down the ramp. Thea waved to an invisible audience that only she could see and smiled at Randy like she was the happiest girl in the world, but he could see the pain still in her eyes even from where he sat.

He had noticed the pain earlier. He'd seen it in the interviews she had done earlier that year for the movie she was in before she had dyed her beautiful hair. It had been there ever since he had thrown her aside and walked out of her life. It really was his fault that she was walking with another man, hand-in-hand like that.

He hated seeing her with Randy. She was too good for that cheater. The man would cheat on her in an instant once he found someone with a prettier face, but to Glenn there was no one prettier than Thea. He'd hate to see her get hurt, but she had already made plans to renounce her ties with him and join Randy Orton's side when Randy would join the SmackDown roster.

That is, if she beat him at the match on Friday. She would no longer be his rookie and she'd no longer have training sessions with him. She'd find a new manager and a new trainer. She wouldn't look back as she moved onward with her career. She wouldn't give him a second thought.

_Maybe she deserves this…I did keep her from moving on with her life with closure. Maybe this is the closure she needs and maybe she'll be happier this way_, Glenn thought. _But I can't imagine my life without her…it's been Hell since she went away. It was Hell before she left when I walked away. Am I unworthy of finding happiness because of what I've done to her? Am I truly the undeserving monster my ex-wife said I was? Or was Thea right in ever loving me and saying that I am not a monster?_

_Oh Thea, what am I supposed to do?_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Oh Glenn, here's your answer: Stop being a baby and go up to Thea and kiss her long and hard dammit! But will he do that any time soon? Stay tuned and review to find out. **


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed me. To everyone else: Please review! I miss hearing your comments. Remember, no comment is a really bad comment as long as it's said in a mature manner!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane stood there brooding as he watched a replay of Thea interrupting him and Kari during the last show. Tonight was the night that she was going to either remain his rookie, a pawn to be used in his reign of terror or she was going to go off on her own and make a name for herself and only herself. All of this hung on a thin line above her head, resting on a single match between him and her.

As much as Kane would love a powerful pawn at his side, he wanted her to be free. She had gone through so much to get where she was. The attacks, the lies, the suffering, all had been against her from the very beginning. Now she was standing tall against the past where she was a scared little girl playing in the adult world.

His gaze lifted to the heavens for a moment. _Markus, I know you're up there watching me. You're probably not proud of what I did to your only daughter. You probably hate me, even if the great people up in Heaven don't hate anyone anymore. I've hurt your daughter in so many ways and now, I'm going to go against her in a ring to inflict pain upon her for the entertainment of millions of people. This isn't how you wanted us to end up. You wanted us to end up as a happily married couple with kids and a home to call our own. You wanted me to take care of Thea for the rest of time and make sure she was the happiest I could ever hope her to be. But because of me that will never become reality…_

"It's my fault," Kane whispered, tearing his eyes away from the screen to find himself looking at the Undertaker. "What do you want brother?" he demanded bitterly.

"You still feel for the girl," Undertaker commented, his gravelly southern drawl coming out. "If the Devil favored you, I would have thought that he would have removed such a weakness. But…maybe he doesn't favor you as much as you have deluded yourself into believing he has."

"I have no weakness!" Kane growled, glaring daggers at Undertaker's calm face. "I have purged myself of the weakness of which you speak and tonight I will destroy her! You, on the other hand, have yet to remove yourself from the grasp of all of your weaknesses. The weaknesses which I will continue to exploit as soon as I take care of one mistake that I made six months ago!"

Undertaker smirked. "You may believe that everything will turn out in your favor tonight. You may believe that if you say that you are over the girl, that she doesn't matter to you anymore, that no one will question whether you're a heartless monster or not. But I know better, little brother. I know that part of your heart still yearns for the kindness she showed you once before. You want to be a man again and not a monster parading around in the form of the man she loved."

"She never loved me!" Kane spat, his hands clenching into fists. "It was all an illusion! I had power over her and made her believe that she was infatuated with me, but no longer will I amuse myself with those lies! She means _nothing _to me!"

A knowing smile appeared on Undertaker's lips as the man vanished in a flash of light. Kane let his breath out in a huff and knocked something over in a brief fit of anger. The action brought back images of what had happened in the hotel room with Thea over six months ago.

How he had scared her in a violent fit of reckless anger. How he had put fear in her that he had never wanted to see. All because she had supposedly told her friends about her bruises and sent them after him…Kane was starting to wonder if it was true anymore.

Did he do all of that because of a lie, a simple lie that cost him everything? Had she really remained faithful and defended him against her friends' wild accusations? Had he lost everything because he couldn't tell fact from fiction anymore? Would she ever forgive him once he found the courage to speak with her without running away?

_Thea...I'm sorry…_

Thea's intro new intro music played and Kane had to smirk inwardly at it. It was called 'Shut Up and Kiss Me', a song that Thea had once quoted to get him to stop talking about wrestling and just kiss her. Moments later, she appeared out of a cloud of red smoke and did a little pose. She started walking down the ramp, waving to the people who called out to her. Her black hair swung in her face and she brushed it back. That's when Kane realized she was wearing a single red glove on her left hand.

He watched her jump over the top rope and narrowed his eyes at the wink she sent his way. With a smirk, she turned her back on him and waved to the crowd. On the back of her midriff top was a black heart outlined in red with red vines of thorns encircling it. A thin red crack split the heart in two, but the thorns were keeping it together. Kane knew the symbolism of the shirt and tore his gaze away from it.

Thea turned once more to face him as the ref motioned for her to come over. She stood there for a moment, looking like she was debating something inside the safety of her head. With a serious expression on her face, she held her hand out as she had with countless opponents before. Kane stared at it suspiciously.

"Kane, I'm not going to trick you," Thea said as if reading his mind. "I'm simply asking to shake your hand as a gesture of good will. You can shake my hand like a man or you can turn it down and prepare yourself for the hardest match of your life. One way or another, one of us is going down and I'm going to be a good sport about it."

Kane extended his hand, but thought better of it. He swatted her hand aside and stepped back, readying himself for battle. Thea let out a small sigh and waited for the bell to ring. It rang and a moment later, Kane attacked.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea groaned when Kane threw her into the corner, her back hitting the turnbuckle and winced. She saw him running towards her and moved out of the way, causing him to run headfirst into the metal pole. A resounding sound of impact rang out and Thea felt her heart squeeze painfully. It wasn't really her goal to hurt him like this, but she had to get him down somehow. It was that or be used as an evil pawn in his reign of terror on WWE.

_Which way are you going to move next Kane?_ Thea thought, brushing her hair back out of her face. _What are you going to do next?_

Kane shook off the pain and turned to face her. Just as he was about to raise his hand to punch her, Thea did a roundhouse kick that knocked him back. She spun around and did another kick that was reminiscent of HBK's Sweet Chin Music. Kane hit the mat and Thea stood over him, gathering her thoughts.

_I've got to stop kicking him. He'll anticipate each of my moves if I keep up with the kicking. If I can somehow get him to stay still I can get him in a submission hold._ Thea's eyes narrowed as Kane climbed back to his feet. _No, he'll be expecting that too. The only thing he won't suspect is my finisher. I've never shown anyone but the officials my finisher and that was only to get it approved. Stephen's the only one who has really seen me come close to revealing it and he only knows the basics of it. The commentators have been told to look for it, but so far, I've kept it hidden. That's it. I'll use it, but only when I get him where I want him._

Thea ducked under Kane's fist and elbowed him in the stomach in passing. He doubled over and staggered, but didn't fall. Thea moved to set up another move and walked right into Kane's hand. His eyes narrowed and he lifted her into the air, preparing to do a Choke Slam. Thea's teeth ground together as she wriggled and fought to get out of the move before he could complete it. Kane smirked at her petty attempts and threw her down. Thea's skull cracked against the mat, dazing her for a moment.

She rolled out of the way when Kane's big boot came down to press on her throat, narrowly dodging it. As she climbed to her feet, she rubbed her head with the thought of how it was going to hurt in the morning crossing her mind. There wasn't time to give it much more thought than that because Kane was coming upon her once more.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane groaned as Thea sent him flying over the top rope and onto the hard ground below. He attempted to climb to his feet, but was knocked back down to the ground as Thea pulled a high risk move and body slammed him. She rolled to her feet and kicked him in the side. Kane could feel that her blows weren't as strong as they had been when they had practiced with each other months ago during their training and that bothered him. How could she expect to win if she didn't unleash her full strength on him? Had she learned nothing in the time of their training?

_Maybe she needs to stay a rookie for a bit longer, _Kane thought as Thea pulled him to his feet by twisting his arm._ She needs more practice with the basics of wrestling._

Thea's lean muscles flexed as she threw Kane over onto his back once more. Kane had forgotten how strong she was when she was full of adrenaline. She blew her breath out in a hiss and turned away from him as the ref counted six. Kane watched her slide into the ring and climb to her feet once more.

The crowd was cheering for her victory, but Kane would fight like hell to keep her from getting it. He needed this victory to show the world that he had infinite powers while his brother was growing weaker and weaker.

Kane climbed to his feet and slid into the ring just as the ref counted to nine. His eyes narrowed as Thea paced in front of him, watching her for the slightest change that would signal her next move. She stopped pacing and Kane saw her left leg shift position ever so slightly. She was preparing to run at him, but Kane was ready for it.

Thea ran at him and he caught her by the throat once more. Her eyes narrowed as they locked on his and a smirk curved up the corner of her lips. She lifted her legs and planted her feet on his chest. With a force that he had not anticipated, she forced him away with her feet and sent him sprawling one way while she fell the other way. The mat shook underneath of him as he crashed to it and slid to a stop next to the bottom rope. Thea's gaze held his from across the ring as she pushed herself to her feet.

Sweat beaded on her brow and her chest rose and fell rapidly as she fought to catch her breath. Kane blinked when sweat fell in his eye and he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. With a wince, he climbed to his feet, holding onto the top rope for support.

_Look at the sorry mess we've become_, Kane thought as he attacked Thea once more. _We're tearing into each other like a pair of wolves fighting over the same carcass. This isn't how it's supposed to go between us. But this is a start. We're at least working off some of the bitterness between us. A few more matches like this and we'll be ready to actually talk…but only if I can find the courage to face her like…the man she thought I was._

Thea was knocked back into the corner once more and Kane rammed his knee into her stomach. She cried out in pain as he repeated the action two more times before the ref could force him away to give her a short break to catch her breath.

Once the ref backed off, Kane advanced on Thea once more. She had her eyes on the ground and Kane couldn't help thinking that maybe he was on his way to winning. One more Choke Slam and she would be finished.

Kane lifted his hand up to take her by the throat and that's when she chose to lift her gaze to his again. Her eyes were soft and pierced him to the core of his broken heart. He took a step back, his anger subsiding slightly under her unwavering gaze. She hadn't looked at him like that since they broke up. It made his heart ache in his breast as he took another step back.

_Thea, don't look at me that way. Please don't. I can't – I can't think when you look at me like that. I can't do what needs to be done when your eyes cut into my soul like that. Don't look at me as if I was a man…the man you loved is long dead and a monster stands in his place. Don't look at me like that…_

"Kane…" she whispered, climbing to her feet as his hand trembled under her gaze. "Do it. Take me out now like the Devil is whispering in your ear. Prove yourself to him. Or prove to these people that you are not a monster." She held her hand out slowly. "Come back to the side of good."

Kane's eyes saw no trick in her eyes, noted nothing suspicious. She was offering him a way back to the light. A way back to the man that he was once before. He raised his hand once more to take her hand when the image of her scared face flashed before his eyes again. Kane pulled his hand back, but not in time to evade Thea's grasp.

He didn't know what had hit him before his head hit the ground. The crowd was on their feet, roaring at the new move that she had just unleashed upon him. The commentators were saying that Thea had just revealed her finisher, the Venom Kiss, for the first time ever in a match. All he knew was that he was hurting in several areas and couldn't force himself to his feet. He couldn't kip up. Hell, he could barely move at all.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea felt the excitement in the air as she leaned against the ropes after executing her finisher for the first time in over a year. She hated tricking Kane like that, but he wasn't the same man she had fallen in love with. Not yet.

The ref called to her to get her attention before he got down to check on Kane. She could feel Kane's eyes on her. It was obvious that he didn't know what had hit him. His eyes were still a little dazed and his answers to the ref were slow in coming. But Thea could tell that he was going to recover from the attack very soon if she didn't finish this now.

With a little sigh, she pushed herself away from the ropes and walked over to Kane. His eyes looked at her, full of accusations and suppressed rage. It hurt her to know that she had put them there, but she couldn't think of that just now. She lowered herself to pin him.

The arena went black for a split second and all of a sudden, Paul Bearer was in the ring with them. When Thea's attention was taken away from Kane for a split second by the new arrival, Kane had her by the throat…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Uh-oh…I smell trouble. What's our lovely Diva-Superstar going to do now that she's getting her butt kicked by Kane? Stay tuned for the next update. And please review. I'll love you all and update sooner if you do. ~ Scarlet**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm glad to see that some of you came back. It makes me happy to know that I can keep you interested. Now what does Kane have in store for Thea with Paul Bearer around? Find out now!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane climbed to his feet, holding Thea by the throat. She had just betrayed him and now, he was going to finish her. He could see that she knew that, just by looking into her fearful eyes. She'd fight like hell, but there was no way she was going to win this match now that the Father of Destruction, Paul Bearer, was there. Kane could feel himself be filled with renewed energy and renewed hate.

"Randy…!" Thea choked out, clawing at Kane's hand as he positioned her for a Choke Slam.

Kane's eyes narrowed. "Randy isn't here to save you. None of your friends are here to support you. Face it Thea, this is the end of you and the beginning of a new era in the WWE."

"Oi Kane," someone called and Kane peered over his shoulder. "Lose something?"

Kane's eyes widened as he saw Paul Bearer lying on the ground without his urn. Randy Orton stood there on the apron, his eyes cold and calculating as he held the urn in his hands. Kane's grip on Thea slackened as he realized what this meant.

"I will destroy all of you!" Kane growled, glaring at Randy. "And I'll start with my old weakness!"

He turned his face back towards Thea and found her prying his hand off her throat. A new look of determination was in her eyes and she seemed to be radiating her own energy. Kane advanced on her, pummeling her with attack after attack, but she blocked, evaded, or absorbed the blows like they were nothing. Kane began to wonder where she found so much strength.

Thea slid under his arm and elbowed him in the side, jabbing him in the kidneys. Kane turned to face her, but caught sight of the mark on the back of her shirt. The broken heart with red thorns.

It brought back memories of late night exercises and training. The times where they went to restaurants or were chased by the paparazzi. The times where they'd been caught in the rain and he had pressed her back against the hood of the car just so he could kiss her in the rain. Of the time they'd spent in the elevator where they just talked for hours and she had chosen to stay with him in the dark place of her nightmares. All of the hours of love making and tender caresses. Of tender kisses and kisses that drove him to the brink of insanity. Of just being together in a world of their own.

"Kane?" Thea looked at him as he stepped back and lowered his fists. Her hands were still raised in defense and she looked like she would run at any moment.

"ATTACK HER!" Paul Bearer screamed in a barely recognizable language. "DESTROY HER!"

Kane glared at the Father of Destruction and stepped away from Thea. Randy watched him like a predator eyeing his prey. Kane stepped over to the side of the ring and climbed out. The ref called out, telling him to get back in the ring, but Kane ignored him as he headed for the ramp.

The countdown started and Kane could hear Thea demanding that he get back in the ring. That he come back and face her like a man. The crowd was booing, roaring at him to get back in the ring and face his only salvation.

Kane ignored them. He stopped on the stage just as the bell rang, signaling the end of the match. The announcer stood up in the corner by the ring and declared Thea the winner by count out. Kane offered a very small smirk in her direction before disappearing behind the curtain in the gorilla entrance. He couldn't block out the cheers from the audience at Thea's victory and he sighed.

"She's free now…"  
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea didn't feel satisfied with her victory over Kane as she sat in her personal locker room backstage. It didn't feel right. He had had the upper hand during most of the match and yet, he had thrown away the chance of victory by walking out of the ring. It didn't feel like a victory at all.

"This is probably never going to work…" Thea whispered before looking up at the ceiling. "Dad, is this really a good plan? Should I pretend to be falling for Randy when Glenn is in so much pain? I don't want him to suffer, but…people keep telling me that he needs to suffer to realize that he still wants me. That we can still be together after he faces reality. But part of me keeps thinking that he's going to give up everything – even life – if something good doesn't happen to him…you saw how easily he gave up his match against me…Does that seem like a man that can hold on and come to the realization that I am still there for him? I don't think it does. Dad, I can't keep him hanging on like this for much longer. One of us is going to break and I don't want it to be the break that sends him over the edge. I just...Dad, I don't know what to do."

"Consulting with the dead rarely helps," Mark's gravelly voice broke into Thea's thoughts and she turned to look at him. "But talking with the living…that may help."

"Mark…I…I don't know what to do," Thea said, frowning. "I want Glenn to finally realize that he's a good man, but Michael told me to make him jealous. How am I supposed to help him when he doesn't want to be helped?"

"Try and try again."

Thea hesitated. "Should I talk to him? Like really talk to him about my feelings and what I think needs to happen?"

"Talking with him may help Thea, but you need to realize something yourself," Mark told her. "Glenn was broken long before you walked into his life. He tried to heal on his own, but the wounds left by his former wife never healed properly. The bonds holding him together were weak and susceptible to breaking at any moment. But when he entered into a relationship with you, I believe you started strengthening the bonds that held him together. You started mending the wounds where he could not. That scared him, it was unfamiliar and surprisingly wanted, but the lingering ghost of his former wife echoed the words of unworthiness in his heart.

"Glenn removed himself from the relationship with you, not only because of the rumors and the way your friends attacked him, but because of the torment he was putting himself through inside the sanctum of his own head. He has continued to fracture the bonds you strengthened and has convinced himself that he deserves no aid, no comfort, no warmth from a creature as 'pure' as you."

Thea shook her head and hugged herself. "What can I do to help him?"

"Thea, the words you say may never completely get through to him. You have to realize that Glenn has lived this way for years now. Nothing can easily get through to him. The man deep inside wants to hear those three words said on so many tongues directed towards him. He wants to know that there is someone out there that doesn't see him as a monster. That there is someone that can love him and bring out the man that he's long suppressed and long forgotten."

"Mark…what do I do?" Thea asked with the overwhelming feeling of helplessness. "Please help me…"

Mark put his hand on her shoulder as he had when she had left WWE for her movie. "Thea, do what your heart tells you to do…It will never steer you wrong."

"But –"

"Ask no more questions of me and your friends. Follow your heart and make the right choice based on what your heart tells you."

Thea watched him walk away, feeling like all of her strength left when his hand was removed from her shoulder. She closed her eyes and hugged herself once more; holding herself together while the world continued to spin without a care of the lives it was in control of.

Glenn heard his cell phone ring, but ignored it. So many people were calling him, asking him what he was going to do now that he had lost Thea. Others were asking him why he had walked away from the match that would have put him back in the life of his former girlfriend who he still loved dearly. Kari was the stark difference. She didn't ask questions, she had simply composed a short song about how much he failed and how she thought he was a sore loser. After all of that, Glenn decided not to pick up the phone until someone sensible called.

The phone went silent for a minute and Glenn continued to stare down at his hands. The hands that had put Thea in a choke slam not more than an hour ago. Those hands that had hurt her in the ring rather than hold her and caress her like he wanted. Those treacherous hands that had thrown her onto their bed so that she collided with the headboard…Those hands of a monster.

The cell phone rang again and Glenn raised his head to look at it. It was playing the ringtone that Thea had programmed to play whenever she called. But Glenn couldn't believe that it was playing, after so many weeks of silence.

"Thea," Glenn whispered, reaching out for the little piece of technology.

Her words from their first talk in months came to mind and he quickly drew his hand back as if singed. He couldn't talk to her. She wanted him out of her life and he was…ready to let her go. Or at least, that's what he told himself was the right thing to do for her. Let her be free of the monster and let him die a lonely death with no one to mourn over his sad excuse of a life.

The phone fell silent again and Glenn stared at it, silently praying that she would call back. If she called back, he would talk to her. If she called back…maybe he would set things right.

The phone beeped and the screen lit up. Glenn picked up the phone and stared at the words ' 1 VOICE MAIL' with a frown. Part of him knew that Thea wouldn't have called him again, since she knew from experience that he wouldn't pick up for her. This voice mail was one of many that he had on his phone that was from her. He hadn't the heart to delete them because they contained the voice of his love, his one and only. And without hearing her voice when life grew too painful to bear, Glenn knew that he wouldn't have been there today.

He put the phone on speaker phone and played the message. There was silence for a moment.

"Glenn, I know you're going to ignore me like you always have, ever since that night. I shouldn't expect less after what I said to you." She paused. "Glenn, I know you'll never believe me when I say that what I said about you during my last show before my movie…when I said that you were a monster, I didn't mean it. Even after you showed me the angry streak in you, I didn't think that you were a monster. I honestly thought that you were justified in throwing me. I mean, I didn't stop the girls from telling Stephen and Drew that you were guilty when it came to the bruises. I didn't stop the rumors from swirling. And I didn't make my case clear to you. I should have done more to keep this from happening, so please don't blame yourself. Glenn, blame me. I'm the one who started this whole mess. Not you."

She let out a nervous little laugh. "We've been acting like children. We've been foolish little children…giving each other the cold shoulder and calling each other names…I'm getting tired of acting like a child though. I want to face the problem head on, but I know that you won't like the idea of facing me. Why should you when I've moved onto a friendship with Randy. Glenn, do me a favor and don't read into my relationship with Randy. He's…a really good friend and I'm starting a storyline with him for WWE. The fans, they'd love to see Kane and Thea back together and not the Legend Killer and The Viper, but I can't give the fans what they want until we move on from this problem of ours.

"I'm not even going to pretend that our road to recovery will be an easy. I'm not even thinking that it will happen for awhile. It could happen next month or next year or even the next decade. I just don't know when and I don't know what to say to make things different. I just…" She hesitated and Glenn strained to hear her words. "I want you to know that I still care about you…maybe not as much, but maybe even more. So, if you get this message and listen to it all the way through, I hope that you'll give it some thought. About us, I mean. Goodnight Glenn."

The phone beeped and the message ended. Glenn played it back again and felt his heart race as he heard those final words from her. She wanted things to go back to the way they had been before he had walked out of her life. She wanted to talk to him like civilized people. It wasn't like she was expecting God to move mountains in a day for them, but she was hoping for a little promising sign.

_But I…can't…I can't face her, not while I'm the monster…_ Glenn thought, clutching the phone as if it were a life preserver. _She…she has to wait until I can be that man that she deserves…I just have to see the man within monster and bring him back to life…maybe then I'll be worthy of Thea's love…_

"Hold on Thea," he whispered, closing his eyes and seeing her smiling face. "Hold on for a little longer and…we'll both be happy again."

**A/N: Aw…what a nice voice mail, right? I think so, but I can't really judge myself. So I'll let you tell me what you think and I'll update at a later time. **

**And just so you know, I've already written the chapter where Kane and Thea get back together. It's nice, but I'm not going to give out any more information about it. You'll just have to wait. Review please! ~ Scarlet **


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: You guys love my story for some reason that I do not know. So many reviews for one chapter and I'm so happy to see that most of you came back! I missed you and guess what? Today's my birthday! So here's a very special update…**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stepped away from the mirror to look at herself. She pulled a face at what she saw and stifled a giggle. She couldn't believe that she had made it to today after all of the bad things that happened to her. Inside she felt like she was much older than what the calendar said she was.

She wore a red mini dress and black five inch stilettos. It was something that Layla had given her as an early present and as a peace offering. (It turns out being part of Lay-Cool means nothing more than being saddled up to Michelle McCool's drama.) Thea decided to wear it and invited Layla to her little birthday party as her way of showing that there was no hard feelings for the woman.

"No boys," Layla's voice came as the doorknob to the bathroom turned. "No, you can't see her until she's ready." She slipped into the bathroom and smiled at Thea. "Oh! I told you that you would look beautiful in that and here you are! You look stunning!"

"Thanks Layla," Thea said, taking a brush through her hair. "Is this what it feels like once you've stepped farther away from being a child?"

"Yes," Layla said, reaching for some make up. "Now, let me give you some smoky eyes and –" She handed Thea a thing of lip gloss. "- you put this on. Trust me; no one is going to be able to resist you tonight."

"Oh." Thea uncapped the lip gloss and ran the brush over her lips, giving them a light, glossy shine. "Is that what's supposed to happen tonight?"

Layla made Thea close her eyes while she applied eye shadow to her lids. "Well, partially. Mostly, it's just a time for you to celebrate the night of your birthday in the company of your friends and coworkers. And we all chipped in to have the hotel let us have the party in the ballroom." She smiled a small smile. "Maybe we'll get a song out of you?"

"Maybe," Thea agreed, opening her eyes when Layla was done with her eyes. "I haven't sung since the music video for the movie…"

"Well, this will be a good time for you to break out and sing again," Layla said, pulling a thing of eyeliner from Thea's makeup bag. "Everyone will love to hear you. Especially Glenn."

Thea winced. "Glenn…"

Layla frowned. "Thea, I'm sorry that I dated him for a couple of weeks after you left. I honestly thought that I…well, I don't know what I was thinking when I dated him. Maybe all I wanted was to get back at you and take away something that you wanted. I don't honestly know anymore...I didn't do anything with him – he never got that close to me…I'm sorry…"

Thea reached out and put a hand on Layla's shoulder. "I forgive you."

Layla finished putting the finishing touches on Thea's eyes and smiled. Thea looked at the mirror once more, seeing a smoky eyed bombshell where a child once stood. Thea pulled at the low neck of her mini dress and smiled. She liked what she saw.

"Thanks Layla," she said.

"Like I said, you look stunning," Layla commented, opening the door to the bathroom. "Now you can gawk at her boys."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn didn't know why he'd been invited to the party. He hadn't been to a party in over six months and everyone seemed to be all right with that. He hadn't bothered anyone – off the show – and with the exception of Kari, they hadn't bothered him. Everything had been fine, but now they were inviting him to a party for the sole reason why he had reverted into his loner self.

So, that's how he ended up standing off to one side of the ballroom, holding a glass of pop since alcohol had been named off limits due to the age of Thea and Kari. He watched people walk past, Ron start break dancing on the dance floor, and heard people wonder aloud where the party girl was. Somehow, Ron and John found a microphone and killed the music for a minute.

"Ladies, gentleman, and whoever else ventured into this little event, we have an announcement to make," John began with a smile.

"Our lucky lady Thea Lei Andrews has turned the big one nine," Ron said. "And no, we're not talking about the six-one-nine, Oscar." Some people laughed and Oscar shook his head with a big smile on his face. Ron smiled and held the microphone up to his lips. "And I think it's time for our beautiful friend to make her appearance. Don't you?"

Some people let out a cheer which made John and Ron's heads swell up a little more. Glenn shook his head and took a sip of his pop.

"Now, we'd like to introduce her in WWE style," John said with a smile. "So, ladies and gentlemen, making her way to this swinging party is a Diva of epic proportions. Not only can she wrestle, but she'll sing and dance with the best of them…"

"And cook, oh boy can that girl cook the tastiest bits of food out there," Ron said, rubbing his stomach. "And there isn't one as smoking as her, so ladies hold on your boys because here she is…"

The boys looked at each other before sweeping their arms to the entrance. "Thea Lei Andrews!"

Glenn did a double take as he watched a goddess walk into the room. He couldn't believe that it was his former rookie and love strutting in on the arms of Drew and Stephen. She looked – as Ron so easily put it – smoking. She made Layla and half the girls in the room pale by comparison in the red mini dress she wore. And her legs seemed to go on for miles as she came to a stop in between John and Ron. Glenn saw that she was blushing as she received hugs from Ron and John. It only added to her beauty in Glenn's opinion.

Ron took up the microphone once more and wrapped an arm around Thea's bare shoulders. "Now Thea darling, I believe your friends have something they want to say to you," he said, beaming.

All around him, Glenn could hear people singing 'Happy Birthday' on varying keys. The color in Thea's face deepened, but a smile remained on her face as she casually brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear.

"Thanks guys," she said before John Cena wheeled over a cake.

"You know what to do," John Hennigan commented, gesturing at the cake. "Take a deep breath and blow out the candles and make a wish."

Thea's eyes roamed over the people attending the party and landed on him. Glenn lowered his gaze, unable to look at her for more than a few heartbeats at a time. She blew out the candles and the room clapped and cheered.

"Let's get this party started!" John called out and the music started playing again.

Glenn craned to see over the heads of his coworkers as they surrounded Thea. He thought it was funny that a man of his height had to crane to see over so many heads just to get a glimpse of his former love. His still love…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stretched out her legs as she sat down at a table laden with already opened presents. "This…has been exhausting," she breathed, looking across the table at Drew and Taryn. "How much longer do we have to stay here before it's acceptable to leave?"

"Wait until two and then you can leave," Taryn advised with a small smile. "That will be a couple of hours after they break out the beer…which you aren't allowed to drink."

"And I don't want to drink it," Thea said, playing with bag containing the things that John and Ron had bought her – two hand-painted shirts and a pair of jeans with her name painted and bedazzled on the right leg. "I'm not going to have another drink of alcohol, not after what happened last time."

"Not even at your wedding?"

"Okay. One drink, but that's it."

Taryn shrugged. "If you say so." Her eyes lit up as a new song played. "Oh Drew, I love this song. Let's go dance!"

Drew got to his feet and looked down at Thea. "Are you coming?" he asked, offering her a hand up.

Thea shook her head. "I think I'm going to sit this one out. I've got to get these presents sorted and put away before I can even think about dancing."

Drew nodded and walked away with his wife. Thea watched them go, wishing that she could have been in their place. That she and Glenn could have been just like the new, happy Galloway couple, dancing on the dance floor like they were in their own little world. She sighed and sent a thank you up to God for helping bring Drew some happiness.

She stood up and started sorting through her presents, putting the big things back in their bags and sticking multiple things in what bags survived Ron's 'assisted opening'. Underneath all of the wrapping paper, she found a jewelry box and a card that she hadn't noticed before.

"How could I miss this?" she asked herself out loud, running her fingers over the velvet box.

She set the box down and opened the card.

_Thea, you are the sole reason I get up in the morning and the only reason I have to live anymore. You are my only salvation on this earth and I ruined you months ago. I tainted something so special and now how can I take away the poison? How can I make things better for the two of us? How can I regain my salvation? Please, help me. Help me find the light again… ~Glenn_

Thea lifted the box once more and gasped as she opened it. In the box was a beautiful ruby ring with the ruby sparkling in the shape of a heart. A little note was attached to the top of the box: _This is a sign of my promise to make things right. ~Glenn._

Thea pulled the ring out and slid it on her finger with a smile on her lips. She felt so happy that she could feel tears stinging her eyes. Quickly, she closed her eyes against them and hugged her hand to her chest, silently telling herself not to cry. She couldn't let anyone see her tears; it wasn't like they'd understand.

_Find him…_

The thought crossed her mind and Thea opened her eyes, setting the box and card into another bag. Thea looked around the room and saw him sitting by himself in a corner, scowling at a drink. She felt her heart start racing as she approached him, taking long strides to get to him faster. His eyes lifted from the drink when she came to a stop next to him and locked on hers.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked, tilting her head to one side. "Or have you forgotten how to?"

Glenn stared at her hand when she extended it out to him and frowned. Thea smiled at him encouragingly. With only a moment's hesitation, he reached out and took her hand in his. Thea had forgotten how small her hand was compared to his and how it felt right to have her hand in his. Glenn shuffled awkwardly to his feet and Thea could barely stifle her giggle at his sudden awkwardness.

"I didn't think you'd want to dance with me," Glenn muttered, his eyes searching hers. "Not ever again. Not since you have Randy."

"Glenn, this is not about Randy," Thea said calmly. "This is about you giving me something that will make tonight perfect. All I'm asking for is one dance. One dance just like old times. After tonight, we'll work on everything, but for tonight, let's just settle with a dance."

Glenn nodded and escorted her onto the dance floor. Thea could only remember one time where he had danced with her in public and that was at Maria and Matt's engagement party. She didn't know if he would be comfortable doing it again, but before she knew it, they were dancing among their fellow wrestlers.

She felt perfectly safe in his arms and felt like she had found the other half of her again. Her heart ached, demanding that she accept him back into her life completely right then and there. Her arms had missed being around him and she was proud of the fact that he didn't tower over her by much anymore. In fact, in the heels that she wore right now, she was practically eyelevel with him. And she missed looking into those eyes, letting them drag her in so she could feel a connection to him unlike any she ever known.

Thea smiled at him and laid her cheek against his shoulder. "I miss this…"

Glenn nodded in agreement, but said nothing like he was afraid of ruining the moment.

_Does he think this is all just a dream? _Thea thought, running her fingers down his shoulders and down his arms, tracing his muscles through his shirt. _That's what it feels like to me…could this all be a dream…if it is, I don't want to wake up. Being here with Glenn…_

"…it's like our magic all over again," Thea whispered, looking at him. "Glenn…I miss our magic…being together like this within a world of our own, it's our magic all over again. Our own fairytale…"

"Fairytales lie about the happily ever after," Glenn said, looking away from her. "No one gets a happily ever after…look at us."

"We could fix that," Thea shot back. "If you would just talk to me…I can help us get back to where we were before…the incident…Glenn, I'm ready to forgive and forget."

"I'm not. I won't forget what I did to you. I can't forget that pain, that fear in your eyes when I threw you. I _threw _you, Thea," Glenn hissed, his eyes narrowed with the memory of his anguish. "I put fear in you and I can never forget that. I can never forgive myself and I can never move on knowing that the memory remains."

Glenn stepped back away from her as Randy approached. "Do you mind if I cut in?" Randy asked with a challenging smirk.

Thea looked at Glenn, wishing that he would just tell Randy no and take her away from there. But she knew it would be expecting a little too much from Glenn right now.

"No…" Glenn turned his back on Thea. "Happy birthday Thea. Goodnight."

Thea watched Glenn walk back over to his corner of the ballroom and sit back down at his seat, his back to her. _Oh Glenn…_

**A/N: Oh darn, they didn't get back together, but they danced and Glenn actually talked to Thea. It may not have been a long conversation and Thea may have done most of the talking, but it was a start right? And he did give her that promise ring, so that should count for something.**

**I plan to update again when I get the chance, but I'm busy celebrating my birthday for two weekends and getting my schedule changed at school, because I'm insane. Seriously. **

**So please review! And I'll get to updating and get you closer to the chapter where Thea and Glenn get back together. ~ Scarlet**


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: Thanks for the birthday wishes everybody! It made my day to see those reviews, it really did. And I decided to give you a little present for Valentine's Day, so here's your update!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea didn't want to get up in the morning. She wanted to lose herself in the happy dreams that had teased her throughout the night. She didn't want to face a world where everyone was finding love and she was left out because of one stupid moment where she'd been afraid. She didn't feel like she fit in anymore. Everyone had someone else and double dates would be awkward for three…

Her phone went off, making her open her eyes and lift her face out of her pillow. A soft sigh escaped her lips when she saw that it was a text message from Randy.

_Good morning…_

She rolled her eyes at the text. She had told him last night that everything they did was strictly business related. He hadn't been too upset when she told Michael, Paul, and Kari that she was backing out of the reality plan where she was supposed to pretend to have an off-screen relationship with him. He understood that it didn't make her comfortable and promised to back off. Or at least, he seemed to last night.

"Go back to sleep," Thea muttered, punching in a response before throwing her phone across the room. "That's what we all should do."

Someone pounded on the door and Thea groaned. "Go away!" she called, burying her face in her pillow. "I want to sleep!"

"You can sleep when you're dead!" Kari's voice floated through the doors as the blonde jiggled the doorknob. "Now get out of bed and let me in!"

Thea shook her head. "No!"

"Don't you shake your head at me, Thea Lei!" Kari shouted. "And don't you dare pretend that you didn't! I know everything now, so you can't lie to me!"

Thea shook her head again and threw her arms over her head. The doorknob jiggled one more time and then the door burst open. Thea felt a cold chill enter the room and didn't bother lifting her head.

"Why are you still in your dress?" Kari demanded, dropping a bag on the bed next to Thea's foot. "Did you-? Don't tell me that you slept in your makeup?"

Thea put a hand up to her face and wiped off some crusty eyeliner. "I guess I did…I don't really remember falling asleep so quickly. I just came up here and went to sleep. I was so exhausted."

"I bet." Kari pulled Thea to her feet and shoved her towards the bathroom. "Go get a shower and then we'll work on your hair." She opened one of Thea's bags and pulled out some clothes. "Take this and this and this too. Now go."

"Kari, what are you going to do to my hair?" Thea demanded, taking the things that Kari forced into her hands.

"Dye it purple again," Kari stated. "The people want to see their purple and black haired phenom again. So, we're just going to add some purple streaks back to your hair and then we're going to go come up with a new plan on how we're going to get Glenn to take you back." She smiled. "I see you got that promise ring he was hoping you wouldn't notice. Good for you. Now go."

Thea touched the ring on her finger. "Kari, I don't want to come up with a new plan. I just want to work with Glenn on my own. Your…_help _will probably make it harder for us to get back together."

Kari looked upset. "My help will not make it harder! Hell, it should make it easier because I know so much about him now…Please Thea let me help you."

Thea shook her head and walked into the bathroom. She took a quick shower, scrubbing her face until it was raw. She came out of the bathroom dressed in the clothes that John and Ron had given her, only to find Kari sitting on the bed, staring at her hand with tears running down her face.

"Kari, what's wrong?" Thea asked, rushing over to sit by her friend. "Why are you so sad?"

Kari shook her head and stared at her hand through teary eyes. "I'm not sad…I'm…I'm happy, I think. I don't know." She held her hand where Thea could see it. "Look."

On Kari's hand was a ring. A beautiful diamond glimmered in the heart of the cross decoration of the ring, surrounded by littler black stones. Thea stared at it in shock and then a small smile appeared on her lips.

"Did Mark -?"

Kari nodded. "This morning…He didn't go on and on about our relationship, the highs and lows that we've experienced, or how we were destined to be together. He just got on one knee and proposed." She let out a little giggle. "I thought it was funny how on his knees he was my height, but…when he opened the box and showed me this…this beautiful ring, I couldn't breathe. All of my thoughts vanished. All I could hear was him and I…"

"You said yes," Thea whispered, looking at the ring once more.

Kari's bottom lip quivered and her eyes sparkled with more tears. "Yes…I said that I'd become the final wife of Mark Calaway…"

"Kari, why are you crying if you're happy," Thea asked, sliding a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders. "I thought marrying Mark was something that you were looking forward to doing…"

"I'm happy for me," Kari stated, tears sliding in a never ending river down her face. "But…how can I be truly happy when my best friend can't even have her true love beside her? I wanted to watch you have a summer wedding with Glenn and…I wanted to go dress shopping with you and fret over your wedding so I could learn the ropes of wedding planning before I even thought of mine." She hugged her hand to her chest. "Thea, I wanted things to work out for you and I still do. I want you to be with Glenn, but I don't see how I can help you…And I keep watching all of your friends find boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives and you're just stuck in the middle…and I can't help you! Thea, I just want to help you get back where you were…but I can't…I can't…"

Thea looked at her friend in amazement. She didn't know that Kari really thought so much about her or her relationship. She didn't know that Kari could be that serious or thoughtful or care so much. It surprised her and made her feel like crap for not knowing this about her friend. It seemed like she and Glenn weren't the only ones suffering from their breakup. Kari was suffering as well…

"Kari, things will work out with me and Glenn," Thea said gently, hugging her friend. "We will make it through this time of trouble and strengthen our relationship so that it's better than before. But you…you're going to have to let yourself get moving in your own life. You and Mark are perfect for each other and you can't let yourself lose sight of your happiness. Don't let my problems with Glenn cause you problems in your relationship. Just worry about your wedding and leave me on the backburner because things will work out in the end."

Kari wiped away her tears and sniffled one final time. "If things work out with you and Glenn…can I be godmother to your children?"

Thea laughed. "Sure." She gave her friend one final squeeze before pulling away. "Now, what do you say we fix my hair?"

Kari jumped to her feet and smiled. "Let's do it!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea stepped into the practice area, watching Randy and Glenn tear into each other in the practice ring. Their movements reminded her of two sparring lions, fighting for dominance over a pride of females. Each wanted to hurt the other to the point that the other would submit under the victor's power and stalk off with their tail between their legs. And she knew that they would be twice as deadly in front of an audience that screamed for bloodshed every Friday night.

Sweat dripped from their faces as they stepped back to practice another move again and again. Randy's manager called out instructions in a code that Thea wasn't familiar with. She saw muscles move and veins twitch under tight, sweat covered skin. Randy's height was dwarfed by Glenn's but that didn't stop him from leaving angry red spots where he hit Glenn. And Thea's eyes didn't miss the undertones of red on Randy's tan skin where Glenn hit a little too hard. It was a sight to see the two fighting.

"All right boys," the manager called out with a smile. "That's enough. Take a five minute break."

Thea leaned against the apron, looking up at the two as they separated. Randy gave Glenn a challenging glare before walking off to his corner. Glenn's eyes turned to her as he fought to catch his breath and softened a little. Thea smiled up at him.

"You two look great," Thea complimented, grabbing onto the rope and pulling herself up onto the apron. "People will really think that you want to kill each other."

Glenn sent another glare in Randy's direction before walking over to his corner to grab his water bottle from next to the turnbuckle. Randy was in deep conversation with his manager, getting pointers and strategy hammered out so that when Friday came about, he'd make a dent in Glenn's record. It was supposed to be the beginning of the Randy Orton–Kane storyline with her thrown in the mix. They would war against each other until one – or both – of them were destroyed, leaving her standing as the prize for the victor. But Thea had already previewed all the matches that were supposed to happen between the two men and she knew that none of them called for bloodshed, but maybe they needed a reminder.

"I know you two would love to kill each other because of some rivalry between you, but remember that the boss doesn't want to see any blood," Thea said, looking between the two men. "Now, the crowd may want to see some blood, but you're just going to have to fight the urge to give them that little gift. Understand?"

Glenn grunted and chugged down some water. Randy flashed a pearly smile in her direction before looking back at his manager. Thea sighed and walked over to Glenn.

"Glenn, can we talk today?" Thea asked, putting a hand on his arm. "Can we talk about us?"

Glenn frowned at her. "Today?"

"As my father used to say 'there's no time like the present'," Thea said with a small smile. "Please Glenn, we need to move on from this and -"  
"Thea, why don't we rehearse the beginning of this little scene?" Randy proposed, walking over. "You're talking with Kane and then he starts to get physical and that's when I show up to save the day."

Thea groaned. "Randy, we've been over that part so many times already! Just call it a day already and go drink some protein shakes. There are more things to do out there than wrestle and go over scenes over and over and over again."

"So says our beautiful, new movie star," Randy teased. "When do I get a signed copy of your movie, by the way?"

"When it comes out on DVD and Blue-Ray…but that's not the point," Thea said, crossing her arms. "Can you just call it a day?"

"Sure, sure." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'll see you later, Viper. See you in the ring, Jacobs."

Thea watched Randy walk off with his manager before turning to face Glenn. "So, are we going to talk?"

Glenn rolled his eyes and slid out of the ring. "You can talk, but all I'm going to do is listen to what you have to say. I'm not in a talking mood."  
"Well, it's a start," Thea muttered to herself, following him.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea watched Glenn sit down at the table across from her and waited for him to situate himself with his drink before speaking. There was so much that needed to be said, all of it rushing around her head in an attempt to come out first. But she was unsure if any would make an impact on Glenn's heart and bring him back to her.

"Glenn, I've missed you," Thea whispered, tapping her fingernails against the side of her Styrofoam cup. "I've missed us. I thought the two of us would last forever and then…we didn't. I know you think it was your fault that we fell apart because you were the one to walk out, but it wasn't your fault." She sighed. "It took me weeks to realize that it wasn't your fault, instead it was a joint effort. Your walking out was the first hit on the nail, but the fact that I didn't fight to get you back was what really drove the nail home. I didn't fight for you, I fought against you. I didn't stick up for you when my friends called you all those hateful names and I wasn't there to keep Drew and Stephen from beating you up. I wasn't there to try to convince you that I didn't tell the girls that you were abusive. I…just wasn't there to make an effort at getting you back…

"I went to the set of my first movie, feeling so empty inside. That emptiness haunted me in the moments I spent alone. For the first time in years, I felt absolutely alone surrounded by so many people. The one person that I cared the most about was gone and wouldn't return my calls because I hadn't made the effort to get him back. I was alone and nothing could make me really happy." She frowned, closing her eyes for a moment. "It didn't make sense to me then because I thought I was supposed to be happy. It was my first movie after all, but the loneliness reminded me that I couldn't be completely happy. That something was missing from my life and no movie was going to fill in the gap…"

Glenn shifted uncomfortably, but didn't take his eyes off of her. Thea felt like she was rambling on and on, that what she was saying was beyond her control, but there was no stopping it. It was lifting an enormous weight off her shoulders and all Thea wanted was to be relieved of it, for Glenn to know the way she felt. How she had missed him.

"I missed you and when I came back to SmackDown, I was ready to start a war to get you back. But then I heard that you were with Layla at one point and -"

"Layla didn't mean a thing to me," Glenn muttered, lifting his drink to his lips.

"I didn't know that when I came back, so I was cross with you. I wasn't thinking when I told you that you didn't need to concern yourself with my relationships with other men. I guess I was jealous that you had found someone else to spend time with, even if it was for a short time, while I couldn't even dream of spending my time with someone else. You were all that I wanted and you still are. You're all that I think of these days, not some championship title or when I can get back into a ring. I could care less about my job except for the fact that it keeps me close to you. I just want us to be together again. I want to fill that void that's in my heart and help fill that void in yours." She smiled a soft, little smile. "I want to wake up in your arms and to have your face be the first thing I see in the morning. I want to walk down the street or down the ramp, holding your hand in front of thousands. I want to feel your body next to mine as we dance in a world of our own, losing track of time as we lose ourselves in one another's eyes. I want your face to be the last one I see before I close my eyes at night with your arms wrapped around me." She reached out and touched his hand. "Glenn, I want to be the one that you turn to with your problems and I want to be the one that holds you when you're hurting. I want you to know that you'll always have someone behind you, supporting your dreams and goals. I want you to know that I love you now, then, and forever. I love you, Glenn."

Glenn's eyes softened and he turned his hand over, gently clasping her hand in his. His thumb rubbed over her skin and Thea closed her eyes for a moment, making her body memorize the feeling of his soft touch on her body. It felt good to just sit there with him, their hands linking them together in a simple connection of skin to skin.

"Thea…" Glenn whispered, making her eyes open and lock on his. "I lo- …I can't do this, Thea. I can't be with you, not until I get my head straight. There's so much going on in my head, in my heart, in here…" He put a fist over his chest. "I don't want to lose you in the chaos. I can't let the monster in me hurt you again."

"Glenn, please," Thea begged. "You aren't a monster…please Glenn, let me help you heal. Let our love help us both."

Glenn shook his head. "I…can't Thea…I'm sorry."

Thea watched him stand up and walk out of the café. Even the knowledge of him knowing how she felt offered no comfort to her as she stared at the ring on her finger. "God, help us."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So, you didn't get exactly what you wanted yet, but it's a start, right? They talked. Feelings were exposed and Glenn actually said more than a few words. So, yay! Happy Valentine's Day everyone and please remember to review! ~ Scarlet**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: So I didn't give you guys what you wanted yet, but trust me, it's going to happen. And soon. Thanks for the reviews though. You guys continue to make me smile with each review I get (except you who threatened to take your reading elsewhere).**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea went through the motions for a few weeks, pretending that life could go on normally without Glenn's involvement in her life. He was back to avoiding her like the plague, except when he had absolutely no choice. She put on a brave face for all of her friends, but inside she was breaking down.

There were nights where she'd simply lie in bed, crying silently without ever thinking about falling asleep. She couldn't face the dreams where everything was happy, where she was with Glenn and her father was still alive. The most she could do was take short power naps throughout the day, cover up her dark circles with makeup, and pretend that everything was all right.

She avoided Kari and Mark, knowing that they would see through her mask so easily. Drew and Stephen were so caught up in their new relationships to notice that their friend was hurting and Thea didn't feel like bringing them down with her. The only people who really seemed to notice that something was up were the people she least expected. Randy and the newly reinstated, Carlos didn't seem to fall for her happy act.

"Thea, can we talk with you?" Randy asked, materializing by her side as she hit a punching bag.

Thea cast a look in his direction, trying to force a smile but she failed considerably. "What?"

"We know something is wrong with you," Carlos said, catching her fist when she made to punch the punching bag again. "And we know it has something to do with Jacobs."

Thea's eyes clouded over with sadness. "It has everything to do with Glenn."

"We figured as much," Randy commented, guiding her over to a bench. "Thea, you can't let your problems with Glenn control your life. You weren't like this before you met Glenn."

"That's because I didn't know what it was like to be loved by someone else so much." She cast a look at Carlos. "No offense."

Carlos shook his head. "Love, when was the last time you really slept for more than an hour at a time?"

"Three days ago," Thea admitted.

"You're going to wear yourself down. And then you're going to make yourself sick. If you don't watch out, your body will shut down and you'll be dead."

Thea frowned and looked down at her hands. Randy looked over her head at Carlos.

"Thea, do you want to die?" he asked.

"No…I don't want to die," Thea whispered. "If I died…Glenn would…" She shook her head. "I just don't know what to do with myself anymore. I can't think about the pain I'm in." She looked at Carlos and Randy imploringly. "I told him everything. I told Glenn that I missed him and that it wasn't his fault that we split up. I told him that I loved him and…"

"What did he say?" Carlos asked, taking her hand in a simple comforting gesture.

Thea's bottom lip quivered. "He said that he couldn't love me back…not until he got his head straight. There was something about the monster inside and losing me in the chaos…But Glenn is not a monster! He's a man with a guilt complex that I can't help him get rid of, no matter what I say to him. Nothing I say helps…why do I even bother?"

"Because you love him," Randy told her, taking her other hand. "Listen Thea, there was a point where I loved you and you were all that I could think about. All I wanted was to make you mine and prove that I could be more than a one-night lover."

"And you know there were many years that I pursued you," Carlos added. "All I wanted was you because to me, you were the final piece of perfection in my already perfect life. I wanted to spend eternity with you by my side, but I finally realized that it would never happen."

"Your heart was already claimed by another man," Randy continued. "A man who probably needed your love more than either of us did. I bet that your heart is still trying to reach out to him despite the fact that he broke it repeatedly. You and Glenn, you aren't a perfect couple, but you're perfect for each other and no matter how much I'd love to have you on my arm, I know that's never going to change."

"But love, you need to let other people help you." Carlos squeezed her hand. "You need to let your friends help you and you need to take care of yourself before you worry about getting Jacobs back."

"But I –" Thea began, but Carlos put a finger to her lips

"No excuses, love. Let me and Orton handle this." His eyes softened. "Go back to your hotel room and take a nap. We'll handle Glenn for you." He stood up. "And we'll see you at tonight's show."

Thea watched them walk away from her, staring after them in wonder. She had known about Carlos being in love with her – knew it was more like an obsession – but Randy was someone she didn't picture loving her. And yet, both men were willing to get her back together with the very man who had stolen her heart away from them in the first place.

She sighed and climbed to her feet, heading for the locker room. "This just keeps getting more and more confusing by the minute…"

Kane watched a screen, his eyes narrowed as he watched a replay of his last match where Randy had ruined his chance at victory against the Dead Man. Oh, how he hated that man. He felt the hate and anger rise up inside of him as the Legend Killer paraded around the ring with Kane's belt on his shoulder in front of Thea on the television screen. That belt was safely back with him, but it felt wrong after being in the enemy's hands.

"Boys look at what I got Thea for tonight," Randy's voice floated from somewhere behind Kane. "Do you think she'll like it?"

Kane turned to see Randy standing in the middle of a cluster of men. He saw the wrestlers nod and clap Randy on the shoulder.

"So, tonight's the night you're going to ask her?" HBK asked with a smile as Randy nodded. "I always thought there was something brewing between the two of you. You're thinking about making her a partner in crime…it makes me proud to say that I helped her get this far, but maybe it's time to give the reigns over to you, Orton."  
"Are you sure it will fit her?" John asked, pointing at something that Kane couldn't see. "It's awfully big."

"And flashy," Ron added. "It'll make her look shiny."

Kane's heart dropped to his stomach at the mention of 'shiny'. He only knew one thing that would make someone shiny (besides glitter) and that would have to have the approval of so many of Thea's friends. And the mention of a question sealed the deal, making him realize that he was going to lose his love forever tonight.

"I'm going to ask her when I take down the Big Red Monster," Randy declared as he led the group away from Kane. "I have everything planned out. Tonight is going to be perfect."

Kane barely registered someone saying that it was time for him to make his entrance. His whole body had gone numb as the conversation between Randy and the other wrestlers replayed over and over in his mind. He shook himself, trying to snap out of it as his entrance music played.

The arena was dark with a red glow as he walked out of the gorilla entrance and down the ramp. People called out to him, booing in his ear as he made his way to the ring in the center of the arena. He signaled the pyrotechnics and made his way to his corner, pacing as he watched for his challenger.

Randy appeared as his music played with Thea at his side. Kane couldn't take his eyes off of the black outfit she wore, giving her the appearance of mourning despite the flaming red heart emblazoned on the front of her shirt with a green pit viper wrapped around it. It clung to her body in all the right places and showed off just the right amount of skin to tease him and the world.

She slipped into the ring with Randy, never making eye contact with Kane as she clapped for Randy. Kane stared at her, his attention focused on her completely. Her eyes purposefully stayed fixated on Randy as he made his way over to her. Kane watched in horror as Randy pulled Thea into a deep 'good luck' kiss, feeling his temper start to rise when Thea didn't fight against the kiss.

"I have a surprise for you when I beat this guy," Randy told her as he guided her out of the ring. "Okay?"

Thea nodded and smiled as she leaned against the apron. That's when her eyes landed on Kane and he felt a surge of energy rush through him. He practically threw is belt at the ref, readying himself to fight. Randy just smirked and flashed a smile back at Thea. Kane's eyes narrowed in a mixture of anger and concentration. He'd fight like hell to win her back from Randy Orton.

Thea brought her hands together in a clap as she watched Randy make a heavy impacting move on Kane. To the world, she was cheering for Randy. Inside, she was silently begging Kane to keep making gains in this match, to beat Randy at his own game. Even if that meant that Kane's wrath would continue to fall upon the Superstars of SmackDown.

She watched Kane and Randy fight like they had never fought before. There was so much blind anger and rage coming from Kane, fueling his punches and his moves to the point that Randy was limping. Angry red marks were covering Randy's body and Thea felt sorry for him. She had never wanted anyone to get hurt over something that she could have stopped from happening months ago.

"Randy!" she cried, watching Kane throw Randy over the top rope effortlessly.

She rushed to Randy's side as he lay there on his stomach, but made no move to touch him. It was against the rules for her to touch him and would have only served to add more fuel to the fire that was Kane's rage. And she had a feeling that if Kane got anymore angry, that Rand y would be in worse condition when the match was over with.

Thea pushed herself to her feet and got in between Kane and Randy as Kane slid out of the ring. "Stop this!" she ordered, playing her part as best as she could in order to give Randy enough time to get up. "Stop this now!"

Kane pushed her out of the way as gently as he could in his anger and barreled down on Randy again. Thea stepped back to her spot by the ring, unable to offer any help to Randy as he was thrown back into the ring. She looked away from the two men, unable to watch them tear each other apart like ravenous dogs.

"Please let this match be over with quickly," she whispered, sending her prayer out to the cosmos.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane stood with his fist in the air, hearing the crowd boo at his victory. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he fought to catch his breath. Every inch of him was sore, but he was still ready to fight. He didn't take his belt back from the ref. Instead he turned to glare down at Randy Orton. Thea was on her knees next to him, cradling Randy's head in her arms which only served to infuriate Kane more.

"Thea!" he growled, making her head snap up and her eyes lock on his. "Move."

Thea looked like she was going to disobey his orders when Randy pulled himself out of her grasp. The younger man pushed himself to his feet shakily and put himself between Kane and Thea. Thea pushed herself to her feet behind him.

Randy challenged Kane again with a glare and Kane smirked. He'd been waiting for that, hoping for an excuse to hurt him again. Kane advanced on him and landed a punch to Randy's pretty face. Randy staggered under the blow and fell against the ropes. Kane made to advance on Randy once more, but Thea threw herself in front of Randy, shielding him from Kane's vengeful glare.

"Enough," she whispered, looking at him with pleading eyes. "Enough Kane. Please, leave Randy alone."

Kane stared at her and his eyes softened under her pleading gaze. His hands unclenched and his breathing slowed down. As he watched, she assisted Randy to his feet and sent him out of the ring before turning to face Kane once more, her hand raised as if to keep him from following.

"Please Kane," she breathed. "Please just leave Randy alone."

Kane reached out and made to grab her hand, but she pulled it away quickly. With sad eyes, she slid out of the ring and helped Randy up the ramp. Kane stared after her and knew what he needed to do to get her back because he wasn't going to let Randy take her away from him.

He did his exit gesture and vanished, looking for the annoying blonde runt that had pestered him so many times before. He needed her help to get Thea back.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: There you go, something positive happened. What's going to happen in the next chapter then? Well, as a little hint, I'm telling you that it's going to be a continuance of this chapter, same night and everything. So whatever is going to happen is going to happen really fast. Cheers! Please remember to leave a review and make me a happy camper! ~ Scarlet**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: Thanks guys! I think I'm gathering a bigger fan-base or something like that because there are new reviewers every now and then. It makes me happy. And what also makes me happy is that I haven't hallucinated since Monday. Awesome sauce, that's what it is.**

**So in honor of my sanity, let's have an update, shall we?**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea hovered near Randy while the medical team cleaned a couple of cuts on his body. They checked him for bumps and asked him if he felt any pain anywhere.

"I feel like I've been hit by a freight train," Randy admitted with a smile. "Minus the bloody, death part."

The medical team laughed and walked away, giving him permission to go ahead and leave. Thea helped Randy off the examination table and watched him put weight on the leg that Kane had focused most of his attacks on.

"Kane meant business," Randy commented with a crooked smile. "Remind me to get him riled up next time we have a match."

"He could have killed you," Thea whispered, taking a step away from him.

"I had everything under control. Neither of us was seriously hurt."

Thea looked at his leg skeptically. Randy smiled at her and put his full weight on the leg, opening his arms in a sweeping motion.

"I'm fine Thea," he promised. "You played your part well with me by your side, but you're going to have to go on your own from now on."

"I don't understand," Thea said, hugging herself. "What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to handle Kane now that you've lost the final time?"

"You're just going to have to go out there and face him," Randy declared, gesturing at the hall. "I've done my job. Now it's time for you to play your part and heal."

"How?"

A woman dressed in black with a headset appeared in the doorway. "Thea, they want you back in the ring," she announced.

"Why?" Thea asked.

"Kane wants to talk with you," the woman said. "Now, come on. We're almost back from commercial and the match between Drew and Rey is almost over."

The woman turned and walked away. Thea looked at Randy as he took her hand in his.

"I'll walk you out there," Randy told her, gently pulling her out of the room. "But I'm going to leave you on the ramp. You know your way to ring, don't you?"

"Randy, why are you doing this?" Thea demanded. "Why are you helping me get back together with Glenn?"

"Because I know that you love him and I can't stand between the two of you any longer," Randy admitted, staring straight ahead. "You were meant for him and I know you are the happiest with him. I can't compare to him, don't stand a chance. I'm just accepting my role in your life with dignity and good grace, but I hope that one day you'll grant me a favor."  
"I'll be there with advice when you find a girl that you actually feel like staying with," Thea promised.

"Thanks."

Kane stood in the ring, watching Kari parade around the ring with a boom box on her shoulder. She was wearing her DX shirt with pride and Undertaker's hat, but there was a serious expression on her face as she waved to the audience. Kane adjusted his grip on the microphone he'd been given and looked towards the audience.

"It's been decided," he began in a low growl. "The fate of your hero has ended in his annihilation. He scurried away into the shadows with his tail between his legs and I stand tall in victory!"

The audience booed at him. Some cheers pierced the boos, from diehard Kane fans that had supported him even in his reign of terror.

"Now, there is one matter to be settled," Kane said, turning to face the ramp. "Thea Andrews, get out here now!"

Thea's intro music played and she came walking out onto the stage with her hand in Randy's. Randy brought the back of her hand to his lips before letting her go. Thea took a deep breath before walking down the ramp. She didn't spare a glance at Kari or the boom box in Kari's hand as she climbed the metal stairs and walked into the ring.

Her eyes didn't rise to him for a moment as she looked around the arena at the people cheering for her. Then she looked at him and Kane felt his anger subside. She had a calming effect on him that he didn't understand.

"Before you left, you called me a 'monster'," Kane growled, trying to stay angry for a little while longer. "A demon spurned from Hell itself. And I became that monster, didn't I? Every night I tormented the souls of your friends, the very people you left behind while you pursued the glamour of Hollywood." He smirked. "I left them broken on the ground and destroyed them night after night…all because of you."

She shook her head, but made no sound, no attempt to make him stop speaking like that.

"People said you were my salvation," Kane continued, walking around her now as if he was looking for an opening to attack her. "That you were the light that saved me from the darkness and tamed the beast inside. But you left me, you took away the light. My salvation."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely heard over the sound coming from the crowd.

"No Thea," Kane said, coming to a stop in front of her. "No. That's not how this will end."

He threw the microphone aside. Kari smiled from her spot next to the ring, catching the microphone easily. She pressed a button on the boom box and a song started playing.

_Oh I had a lot to say was thinking on my time away  
I missed you and things weren't the same  
Cause everything inside it never comes out right  
And when I see you cry it makes me want to die  
I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue, I'm sorry about all things I said to you  
And I know I can't take it back  
I love how you kiss, I love all your sounds, and baby the way you make my world go round  
And I just wanted to say I'm sorry  
This time I think I'm to blame it's harder to get through the days  
You get older and blame turns to shame_

Thea's eyes widened when Kane fell to his knees before her and pressed his forehead against the flat of her stomach. The audience roared with a mixture of cheers and boos. Kane wrapped his arms around her slim waist, his hands pressing against her back as he finally broke down.

His body shuddered, trembling as tears fell from his eyes and onto Thea's warm skin. He felt Thea tense and relax in a matter of seconds. Her right hand rested gently on the top of his head and he felt something wet drop on his head, followed by another drop. Hesitantly, he looked up and saw that she was crying too.

"Thea…"he whispered, burying his face against her stomach once more.

She bent down and wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him in forgiving arms.

Thea sat in her locker room for a moment, thinking about the night's events. She knew that Kane had moved on, but had Glenn? She wasn't so sure of anything anymore.

Her cell phone vibrated and the screen lit up. A text from Kari said 'go to him now' and Thea couldn't find a reason to ignore the order. She grabbed her gym bag and stood up, turning the light off in her locker room.

She walked out into the hall and saw him leaning so casually against the wall; wearing that leather jacket she loved seeing him in. His eyes locked on hers with a softness that she missed and she felt a small smile quirk up the ends of her lips.

"Glenn…" she whispered, walking over to him.

He didn't say anything. He just pulled her close to him and caught her lips in kiss that started off gentle, but increased the pressure as all control was lost. Thea kissed him back as passionately, losing her own control after so many weeks of not being able to touch him. All of her lust and love was coming out at once, breaking the dam that had held them back for so long. All she wanted was to feel him against her.

She felt lightheaded when he pulled away. Her eyes lifted to his once more and he smiled a crooked smile at her.

"I needed that," he whispered. "I missed it."

"Me too," she breathed, ready to agree to anything he said at that point. "I missed you."

Kari could be heard singing 'Sorry' over and over again as she came around a corner. "Oh look Mark. Look at what I did!" she sang, pointing at Thea and Glenn pressed against each other. "I did that! I helped them get back together. Me. I did that!"

Mark smiled a small smile. "I see…"

Thea pulled away from Glenn for a moment and gave Kari a hug. "Thanks for everything Kari. See? You did help."

Kari's smile stretched all the way across her face. "I know. I brought you two back together and I would like it if you stayed together. No one likes a sad, Emo Glenn because he's not cool. And no one likes a depressed you, who avoids her best friends like the plague. So, stay together. Be happy. Get married. Have children. And don't forget to enjoy the company of friends every now and then." She punched Glenn's arm lightly. "Don't think you can keep Thea all to yourself after tonight. She's got friends she needs to hang out with."

Glenn smirked. "We'll see."

Kari unwrapped her arms from around Thea and took Mark's hand once more. "Now, go do what needs to be done to make this return of your relationship official. And please remember to keep the noise down and place the 'do not disturb' sign on your doorknob. We don't want to give older people a heart attack and we definitely don't want this to be spread around so quickly." She smiled. "It's good to have you back."  
Thea smiled at her friend as she and Mark walked off. Glenn slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. She looked up at him with a bright smile.

"So…where do we go from here?"

Paul clapped Randy on the shoulder as they watched Thea and Glenn leave the arena. "You did a good thing Randall," he said. "You brought together two people destined for each other."

"That and you got to make out with her for awhile," Michael added with a smirk. "That should be enough for you."

"Yeah," Randy agreed before sighing. "Guess I'm going to be alone for awhile…"

"Well, you're still young," Paul said. "Not too young, but you're still young. You'll find someone in no time."

"Just stay away from my daughter and I won't have a problem with who you choose," Michael stated with a warning wag of his finger. "There are plenty of options in the WWE." He gestured at a door when it opened. "There's a fine specimen right there."

A girl with auburn hair walked past with a small smile. "Hi guys," she said.

Randy turned and watched her walk away. "See you later," he muttered to the older men before he followed after the girl.

Paul smacked Michael's chest lightly. "Ah…love."

"Yes, a tricky thing it is." Michael smiled. "And how fast everyone seems to be falling in for it. It gives us hope."

"I thought it gave us gas."

"That too."

**A/N: So, there you go. Thea and Kane are back together. Are you happy? I hope so. Well, I can see the end coming into sight. We're coming to the end of the tale. But it's going to be awesome.**


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: Here's a short update while my brain still tries to work through the dozens of storylines going through my head. More great things are to happen, but with your reviews I'll only focus on this story for now!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn felt Thea snuggle closer to him, her face nuzzling against his neck. He could feel the heat radiating from her sweat covered body and knew that he was radiating that same heat. He had missed this – lying next to the love of his life after hours of passionate love making. He had missed hearing her breathe so gently next to him, feeling her chest rise and fall against his side. He had missed her.

His arm wrapped around her, his fingers skirting the thin sheet that clung to her curves. Thea's breath hitched for a moment and then he felt her stir.

"That tickles," she whispered against his neck.

Glenn let her put some space between them, looking at her as she propped herself up on her elbow. Her lips looked a little swollen from so many kisses and Glenn wondered if he had hurt her. She smiled a small smile at him as she ran a hand through her disheveled hair.

"Glenn did you mean everything you told me?" Thea asked. "How you were sorry and how you finally found the man hiding behind the guise of a monster because he was too scared to admit that he thought he was unworthy of love? Did you mean it when you said that you had put the words of your ex-wife behind you, for good?"

Glenn nodded. "I meant everything I said," he swore. "I'm tired of letting her words get to me, keeping me from love for so long. There is some truth in what Kane said. You are the salvation of him and me. You saved me from the lies, the cold words so deeply engraved into my heart by my ex…and I have finally wiped them from existence."

Thea shook her head, surprising Glenn. "You haven't erased them from existence. They're still there and it will take time for you to leave them completely in your past, but…" She held up a finger and pointed at herself. "I will be there to help you. I don't plan on leaving you any time soon and I hope you don't plan on leaving me…"

Glenn shook his head. "I'm not leaving you again. I couldn't handle the pain a second time…" He reached out and caressed her face. "You mean too much to me to lose you again."

Thea leaned her face against his hand, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry about that. I'm only getting a hang of this love thing. I've never had someone return my feelings before you came into my life. But I'm working on this communication thing." She smiled and opened her eyes, looking at him. "We need to communicate better and I'm willing to do anything to make sure this relationship works because I can't think of myself being with anyone but you."

Glenn pulled her close once more. "We'll learn to communicate better together. I will not be with anyone else. All I want is you."

Thea snuggled closer to him, resting her head lightly against his chest. Her hand slipped over his stomach, tracing a small design on his sweat covered skin. "The same goes for me….Can you promise me that you'll never let another problem between the two of us, ruin what we have?"

"Can you?"

"I promise to never let a problem get between us to the point that we break up and lose what we had." She lifted her head and looked at him once more. "Can you promise now?"

"I promise."

Thea smiled at him and kissed him gently. Glenn felt something in him change at her touch and he pulled her closer, so that her body was pressed tightly against his. Thea giggled against his lips and pulled back to look at him.

"Control is another thing we need to work on," she whispered.

"Later," was his husky response before he rolled on top of her, capturing her lips with his once more.

Carlos looked up from his cell phone when he heard someone enter the gym. A small smile came to his face when he saw that it was Thea. She smiled at him and walked over.

"I see you made up with Jacobs," Carlos commented.

"How can you tell?" Thea asked, cocking her head to one side.

"One, you're smiling. Two, I saw the tapes. Three, you're glowing." He smirked and looked away. "And four, I heard you two from my room."

Color flooded Thea's cheeks. "Oh! I'm…I'm sorry about that…"

"It's all right. I'm happy for the two of you," Carlos said with a warm smile. "Just don't keep up these all night festivities. People need their sleep and normal dreams. Not x-rated dreams of the neighbors."

Thea looked away, her face still burning with color. Carlos thought it was a nice touch – lately she was too pale for his taste. But then again, maybe Glenn liked her slightly pale.

"What brings you to the gym?" Carlos asked, getting off the weight bench in case that was where she'd been heading.

"Well, I was hoping to jog a few miles without having the paparazzi on my tail," Thea admitted, glancing at the treadmills tucked in the corner of the hotel's gym. Her eyes turned towards the doors when someone entered. "…"

Carlos followed her gaze and saw that it was Nick. He had forgotten that the bleach blonde was back because Nick had been on his best behavior. That and Carlos didn't feel like keeping track of Vickie Guerrero's boy-toy or any of her business. But that didn't mean he had forgotten the bad blood between Nick and Thea. He may have helped Nick at one time, but Thea would always be the closest thing he had to a friend.

Nick spotted Thea and his eyes narrowed as he crossed over to them. Thea crossed her arms, but Carlos could see that her hands had balled up into fists, the only sign that she was mad. Carlos stood by her side, watching Nick approach.

"Hello Andrews," Nick said, stopping an arm's length away. "It's been a long time since we last saw each other."

"Not long enough," Thea muttered, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Nick's smirk. "Since when have you been back?"

"Two months after you left, they let me come back. I've been a good boy and have stayed out of trouble," Nick stated. "I've stayed out of your way and things have worked to my advantage." His smirk widened. "I got my belt back."

"Well, I'll just have to fix that problem, won't I?"

"You may think that you can take my belt again, but you had help the first time. I made a mistake and I paid for it, but it was Teddy that gave you the belt. You didn't fight to earn it." He closed the distance between them until they were face to face. "And if you think you can beat me for the belt, you have another thing coming. I've studied your moves. I've beaten you before." His eyes flickered over to Carlos for a moment. "And because of some of your _friends,_ I know some of your weaknesses. Destroying you a second time in a completely legal match will be effortless."

"If you're so confident, you'd get your fat cougar to set up a match for next Friday. That will give you the perfect chance to prove that you're better than me."

"I'm always going to be better than you," Nick hissed before turning and walking away. "And I have both of my parents supporting me one hundred percent of the way. What do you have Andrews?"

Pain clouded over Thea's eyes and was quickly replaced by anger. She made to go after Nick, but Carlos stopped her.

"You can't go after him," Carlos told her. "He's just being a jerk…He wants to get under your skin, into your head and make you come after him so he looks like the golden child."

"But –"

Carlos shook his head. "You've got more important things in your life than going after that bleach blonde over a snide comment about your parents. You have a loving boyfriend. You've got so many friends that love and care about you, that I couldn't name them all if you asked. You are loved by the WWE Universe and fans of your movies. Everyone loves you and what does Nemeth have? He can't hold a candle to the love that surrounds you."

Thea blinked and looked up at him. "Carlos, why did you help him in the first place?"

Carlos stepped away from her and shook his head. "I told you that I would never tell you the reason that I got involved and I'm sticking to that promise."

"Carlos, tell me."

"No. It wouldn't do you any good to hear the reasons."

"So there's more than one?"  
"Yes."

"Why won't you tell me what they are?"

"Because I promised that I would never reveal them to you and I like to think that I can keep my promises even if the one I promised this is dead."

"Dead?" Thea cornered him against a shelf of weights. "Tell me."

Carlos felt himself breaking the longer he looked into Thea's unwavering gaze. "You know I've always wanted to prove that I am better than you when it comes to wrestling. That's one of the reasons that I helped Nemeth."

"What's the other reason?" Thea demanded, crossing her arms.

"I…I won't tell you, Thea," Carlos declared, looking away from her. "I respect a dead man's wishes and nothing you can do will make me break that promise. Now, go to your boyfriend and formulate a plan to take the belt from Nemeth. Leave me be."

Carlos slipped past her and walked out of the gym. Some things he wished he could share with Thea, but there were some things were best left forgotten and unrevealed.

**A/N: I have no clue what Carlos is talking about and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you through him. I'd have to reveal it through another character. Like…No. That's not going to happen for a long while. So, enjoy reading and review! Thanks! ~ Scarlet**


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: Hello everyone! It's me with another update! It's getting closer and closer to the end but there are still too many loose ends for me to end it yet. Enjoy this chapter while it's the most recent update and I'll post the next update when I get the chance.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kane watched Thea as she circled Dolph Ziggler, looking for an opening. Vickie Guerrero was squealing orders at the bleach-blonde which did little more than distract Ziggler. Thea was having fun in the ring, terrorizing the man whose belt she was planning on taking. Kane's job there was to simply make sure that Vickie didn't pull some underhanded trick that would keep the belt from exchanging hands.

"Thea is looking great today, isn't she Todd?" Matt asked. "I haven't seen her look so into a fight since she took on Kane."  
"Kane is here with her tonight," Todd said, glancing in Kane's direction. "But is it too early to say that things have been patched up between the two of them or that the Big Red Monster's reign of terror has ended?"

"Come on Todd. You saw what happened last week in the ring. Kane begged for forgiveness – with some old-fashioned style – and Thea forgave him. They're back together tonight and there doesn't seem to be any sign of bad blood between either of them."

"You're right. The only bad blood I see tonight is between the Viper and Dolph Ziggler, but we all know where that came from."

"This match makes it hard for me to pick sides because I love the cunning of Dolph Ziggler and the heart of Thea, but when you come down to it…I would love to see Thea take the Intercontinental Championship for a second time and keep it. No one would be able to take it from her."

Kane smirked as Thea took a chance and performed a high risk maneuver on Dolph that paid off. Dolph hit the mat and didn't move. Thea walked over to him and kicked the bleach-blonde twice.

"Get away from him!" Vickie Guerrero squealed, grabbing onto the bottom rope.

Kane watched Thea's eyes turn to the fatter woman. He saw the wheels in Thea's head turning and knew what she was going to do before she did it. And he wasn't going to stop her.

Thea walked across the ring and flipped out of the ring. She walked calmly up to Vickie Guerrero and punched her in the stomach, throwing her aside. The pig fell down and stared up at Thea in a mixture of fear, surprise, and anger.

"Shut up Piggy," Thea hissed, feigning a kick at Vickie Guerrero. "This is between me and your boy-toy. But if you keep it up, things will get very ugly for you."

"Now that was uncalled for," Matt commented, watching Thea climb back into the ring. "Thea didn't have to attack Vickie, but…I can't say that Vickie's actions lately haven't warranted her getting some form of abuse from Thea."

"There's a lot of bad blood between Thea, Dolph, and Vickie," Todd added. "Everything in this match is going to be a surprise that will no doubt give the officials something to argue about later. But if Thea keeps up this attack against Dolph and Vickie, she may lose more than a Championship belt."

Thea turned to look at Dolph once more and performed an elbow drop on his stomach. Dolph's body twitched violently and his head hit the mat once more. Kane ordered her to get down for the pin, but Dolph performed a roll up that switched their positions. Thea kicked out at the last moment, saving herself from a crushing defeat.

Kane felt proud as he watched Thea take on the man who had hurt her months ago. She showed no fear as she connected move after move on the boy, only anger. Thea wanted revenge and she was finally getting what she wanted. Kane had no doubt in his mind that she was going to get the belt from the boy who had done so much damage to her.

But it appeared that Thea was simply playing with Dolph, trying to get him to show his cards. She wanted him to get careless and angry, so that he'd seriously mess up. And as Kane watched, Dolph was slowly reaching that point. His attacks missed or did very little damage. His footwork became sloppy and Thea tripped him several times so that he ended up falling on his face. The commentators were having a field day with all of Thea's moves, commenting on how Dolph couldn't do anything to stop her from taking his belt.

A glance at Vickie told Kane that she was feeling helpless. She could do nothing to help her boyfriend. Thea was her arch rival and there was nothing she could to slow her down – Thea knew all of the woman's tricks and kept Dolph away from the edge of the ring. All she could do was watch and pray that Dolph would pull off some miracle.

_But miracles never happen in the favor of the damned_, Kane thought, crossing his arms as he watched Thea pull off Venom Kiss. _Especially someone who hurts the innocent…_

Thea held the belt high over her head, a large smile on her face as she showed it to the world. Kane clapped his hands together as he stood in the ring behind her. Dolph and Vickie sat in the corner, Vickie trying to comfort a fuming and confused Dolph.

Thea blew a kiss at Dolph and sent a devilish smirk in the direction of the cougar and her man. She smiled up at Kane when he grabbed onto her wrist and held her hand higher. This was something that she always wanted. A Championship belt earned the right way and taking it from Dolph had been way too easy. He deserved every ounce of pain she had given and every hit he took. She could finally say that she was through with Dolph Ziggler and _his _reign of terror.

Thea followed Kane over to the ropes when it was time to leave and smiled at him when he held the ropes open for her. Her hand found his as they walked up the ramp and she squeezed his fingers gently. Kane looked down at her and the shadow of a smile appeared on his face.

"Thanks for being out there," she said with a smile as they passed through the curtain. "I needed someone to keep an eye on the fat cougar-pig."

"I'm glad to have been of service, but something still bothers me about that pathetic excuse of a Superstar," Kane muttered, glancing back over his shoulder as Dolph passed through the curtain with his girlfriend. "He should continue to pay for what he has done to you."

"Kane, you really need to get a hold on that anger of yours." Thea cocked her head to one side. "I'm done with Dolph Ziggler for now. I don't want to think about him again. I don't want to face him again unless we're talking about a seriously bloody match."

"You aren't going to go into any dangerous matches," Kane snapped, his eyes narrowing. "I lost you once. I'm not going to do it again."

Thea reached out and put a hand on his arm. "You're not going to lose me. Dolph isn't going to get the chance to put me in the hospital again. Don't worry about it, Kane. Everything is going to be fine in the end. You just have to believe in me…like I believe in you."

Kane closed a hand over hers and sighed. "Thea, there's something I want to –"

"Thea!" someone called. "We need you over here!"

"I've got to go," Thea said with a smile. "I'll see you after the show."

"But –"

"See ya later." Thea popped up onto her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek before walking away.

Thea heard someone coming up behind her as she walked the halls of the arena, heading for the parking lot. They were coming up fast and Thea turned, expecting to see Kari or Glenn. But it wasn't Kari or Glenn. It was Nick and he looked absolutely livid.

"Nick, I don't have time for you right now," Thea said when he opened his mouth to speak. "I've got places to be and…if you want a rematch, talk with the officials. I don't care anymore."

Nick pulled his hand back and punched her in the face. Thea stumbled backwards, clutching her cheek as she glared at him.

"What the hell was that for?" she demanded, dropping her gym bag on the ground so that both of her hands were free.

"You've been taking everything that I've ever wanted!" Nick snarled. "You took my fans! You took my chance to get in the movies! You took my Championship title twice! You took my glory! And now, I'm beyond pissed! You are going to pay more than you've ever paid before!"

He launched himself at her, landing punch after punch. Thea felt her temper rise and she blocked his punches, jabbing him in the stomach and chest. He laughed at her blows and threw her into a wall.

"You think you're so high and mighty with all the publicity the McMahon family has been giving you!" Nick kicked her in the stomach. "But even the highest fall and Thea, it's time for you to fall!"

"You can't do this again," Thea hissed, pushing herself to her feet. "They'll fire you!"

Nick laughed and struck out at her again, connecting his fist with her head. "They wouldn't dream of it! I'm their number one bad guy now that Kane's out of the picture." He smirked. "And you didn't know that Carlos had plans to get you out of wrestling before all of this happened, did you?" A harsh laugh came out of his mouth. "He was doing a favor for your stupid dad!"

Thea's eyes narrowed and she caught his fist when he swung at her again. "No one talks about my father!" she hissed, punching him in the stomach. "Especially you!"

Nick's smirk widened and he came at her again. Thea braced herself for impact and prepared a counterattack. She was going to finish this for good.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn stared at something that was so small in the palm of his hand. It glimmered faintly as the light shined on it. It hadn't been that long ago that he had been thinking about this. And he was still convinced that it was the right thing to do before something bad happened between him and Thea, something that he couldn't allow to happen.

He closed his hand over it when he heard someone approaching. It was Mark, which confused him because he had never known Mark to make noise when he approached.

"What do you want?" Glenn asked, shoving the thing into his pocket where it was safe from even Mark's all-seeing eyes.

Mark looked at him with calm eyes. "Thea is in a fight right now," he announced. "Against the man who put her in the hospital…and she's struggling to win."

Glenn was on his feet in an instant. "Take me to her."

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**A/N: Oh dear, did I let a couple of little hints fall out into the open? My bad…I love hearing what you guys think of the story, so feel free to say whatever you want – make complaints if need be – but just let me know what's going on in your noggin's while you read this. Por favor and muchas gracias! Until the next update, I'll be writing and be entertained with my Muses! Ta-ta! ~ Scarlet **


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: So, I realized that all of you wanted to have Nick get pounded by Kane, but what about Thea? Can't she fight on her own? I know it'd be bloodier if Kane got a hold of Nick, but let's keep it clean for the next few chapters, please.**

**And thanks for all of the reviews guys or girls which most of you seem to be. XD**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kari was dancing around the fight, egging it on as she caught money that John and Ron were throwing at Nick. "Go Thea! Punch him in the face! Punch him in the head! Get him! Get him good!"

She turned when she felt Mark behind her and smiled. "Look Mark," she said, holding up the pile of money she had collected in her hoodie. "I have the beginning of our honeymoon collection."

Mark didn't smile. She didn't expect him too. She shrugged and looked back at Thea as Glenn appeared behind Mark.

"Now Thea, you know that you're going to get in trouble for this, don't you?" Kari asked, now switching from encouraging her friend to treating her like a child. "You're probably going to be suspended. And then what are your fans going to do? Cheer for me?" She smiled. "I'll keep them entertained while you're suspended."

Glenn stepped into the fight and pulled Thea away from Nick. John and Ron grabbed onto Nick, keeping him away from Thea. That's when Kari got a good look at her best friend and she was sad that she did.

A cut had opened up above Thea's right eye, trickling blood down the side of her face. Thea's bottom lip was split and gushing blood and Kari knew that would kill Thea the most since it meant she couldn't kiss her boyfriend for awhile. There were red marks on her arms and stomach that Kari knew would turn into bruises. She looked horrible, but in her opinion Thea had gotten off easy. Nick looked like an absolute train wreck.

"Thea, calm down," Glenn whispered in her ear and Kari saw how Thea's anger simmered down. "He's not worth it."

"He insulted my father," Thea breathed, glaring daggers at Nick. "And he attacked me…"

"He's not worth it," Glenn repeated, pulling her farther away from Nick as the bleach-blonde struggled to get at Thea again.

Kari turned her eyes away from Nick and watched Glenn pull out a handkerchief. He carefully wiped away the blood on Thea's face, being gentle around the tender areas. Kari was touched to see the gentleness he expressed to Thea and the love in his eyes as he looked at her. It reminded her of the way that Mark looked at her.

"What is going on here?" Mr. McMahon demanded, approaching with Teddy Long and Vickie Guerrero. "You two look like you've been through a warzone. Explain yourselves."

"He attacked me," Thea muttered, glaring at Nick as Mark put a band-aid on the cut above her eye.

"She attacked me," Nick spat, pulling himself out of the grip of John and Ron. "I fought back in self defense."

"Both of you couldn't have been attacked," Mr. McMahon said, looking between the two of them. "And I'm not sure I can trust either of your words. You two have bad blood for the other."

Kari smiled when Christine appeared with her camera. "I believe Christine has the answer, Vince."

Christine nodded and handed the camera over to Mr. McMahon. Vince took the camera and frowned.

"Thea, Nick, come with me," he instructed. "And do not start your fight again. I want to settle this peacefully." His eyes turned to Mark. "You come along as well. I want your opinion in this matter."  
Kari watched Mark follow the group of people away with a frown. She glanced at Glenn. "Why does your girlfriend always seem to get in trouble? I mean, she's my friend and all, but she is always getting into trouble. Big trouble, little trouble. If she doesn't watch it, she won't be allowed to wrestle anymore."

Glenn frowned at her, his hand clenching something in his pocket. Kari glanced down at his pocket and smiled.

"I think she'll like it," she commented. "She'll have to because it comes from you. And maybe that will put things in perspective for her. It's not like she's the kind of woman who doesn't want to be the involved in the same career as her man when wrestling has been her dream since she was born. She doesn't strike me as the kind of woman who would stay at home, wondering what you are doing on the road…This will be good for you."

Glenn looked at her with a quirked up eyebrow. "Do you think so?"

"Yes." She smiled. "Though I never thought I'd see the day that you would ask me for my opinion…" She leaned forward. "Can I see it?"

"No."

"Please? I won't tell her about it. I promise."

"No."

Glenn turned and started walking away. Kari hugged her hoodie full of money to her chest and followed after him. "Please Glenn, you big mean-y head!'

"Yes."

"Really?"

"No."

Thea sipped her Coke with a frown, wincing as the drink touched her bottom lip and irritated her cut. "I can't believe I got someone fired," she whispered, resting her cheek on her hand. "It wasn't my goal to get him fired, but if it keeps him out of my life then I'm fine with it."

"He deserved it," Glenn commented, throwing back a shot of vodka. "He kept attacking you and if I ever see him again, I'm going to kill him."

Thea looked at him with a small smile. "I know you will, but I can't have you going to prison over me. You've worked too hard to in this career to lose everything over a psychopath like Nick. Leave him to the real authorities." Her smile widened. "Even if it would be cool to see you as a vigilante…"

Glenn smirked at her and looked out at the dance floor, turning his shot glass in his hands like he was debating something. Thea followed his gaze, seeing Stephen and Drew dancing with their respective mates. They kept glancing over in her direction; sharing their own conversations that Thea felt she was no longer privy to.

"Everything's changed," Thea commented, looking back at Glenn. "My friends have grown up and found a wife, a girlfriend, and a fiancé in Kari's case. And you, you went from hating the fact that I was your rookie to loving me. And I went from being a brat around you to loving and respecting you." She smiled slightly. "I think I like that change best."

Glenn nodded and threw back another shot of vodka. "Me too."

Thea jumped to her feet and held her hand out. "Glenn Jacobs, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

Again Glenn nodded and he shuffled to his feet. Thea walked with him to the dance floor and started dancing. She couldn't help feeling that something was distracting him. He didn't take his eyes off of her as he danced with her, but he had a faraway look in his eyes. She reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand.

"Glenn, what's on your mind?" she asked quietly. "Is it about what you wanted to tell me earlier?"

Glenn closed his eyes and nodded.

"I'm sorry that I didn't listen then, but people were asking for my attention…" Thea sighed. "It's a bad excuse, I know and I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you then. Can you tell me what it is now?"

Glenn opened his eyes, looking into her eyes and nodded. He slowly pulled away from her and reached into his pocket. The world faded away as he got on one knee and Thea closed a hand over her mouth in surprise.

"Thea Lei Andrews, you are my light, my salvation, and my one and only love," Glenn rumbled in his deep voice. "Every minute I spend with you makes my world spin around and makes me feel crazy with love. I want to wake up beside you every day and fall asleep with you in my arms. I want to make you the happiest woman in the world because you're the only woman I see. The only woman that I want. I want to create life with you and love you until my very last breath."

"Glenn…" Thea whispered, slowly lowering her hand from her mouth as she stared at the ring in his hand.

"Thea, will you marry me?" Glenn asked, offering the ring to her.

Thea was aware that people were staring at her and Glenn. They were like the suns of this solar system and all eyes were on her. Barbara and Taryn were practically bouncing with excitement. Drew and Stephen were holding their partners with huge smiles on their face and a glance at Drew had Thea seeing him mouth the words 'I will'.

"Don't keep him waiting!" someone called from the crowd of people who had stopped dancing to stare.

Thea looked back down at Glenn and smiled a small smile. "Yes."

A huge smile crossed Glenn's face. He slipped the ring onto her finger and straightened. Thea wrapped her arms around him and brushed her lips against his. He captured her lips again in a passionate kiss that made the crowd of people cheer.

She smiled up at him. "I'll spend forever with you…" she whispered, her eyes twinkling with a new happiness. "And Glenn, there's something I want to tell you…"

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**A/N: Aw…it's cheesy with a hint of corn, isn't it? My sister, who shall remain nameless for now, told me that the next few chapters are 'cheesy with a hint of corn'. Well, I'll let you be the judge when I update again because tomorrow, I'm getting my prom dress so don't expect an update tomorrow, but soon, very soon.**


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N: Ah, darn. You guys already seem to know what's going on. That's not fair, but it'll make the presentation of the idea so much more fun to digest. Enter Kari!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea sighed as she sat at a table with catalogues and stacks of paper scattered on top of it. Maria, Layla, Taryn, Barbara, and Kari were sitting at the table with her. Beth stood off to the side, looking out the window of the hotel dining hall. The girls were all talking, but Thea was growing tired of listening to the babble and picking out colors, themes, for the wedding.

"It should be vampire themed," Kari said, throwing a darker magazine down on the table. "There are to-kill-for dresses that she could choose from. And they would all be beautiful on her. Except for the blue one. That's mine."

"We can't have two of the same weddings!" Layla said, flipping through a bridal magazine. "That's a big no-no. No, I think she should have a purple and white wedding. Glenn can find a white tux with a purple tie and Thea can wear a beautiful white dress. Purple and white flowers. White wine and champagne. It will be so serene."

Taryn, Barbara, and Maria nodded in agreement and started pointing out their favorite dress picks for Thea. Thea forced a small smile on her face and tried to pretend that she was as interested in this as they were.

"How about a Halloween theme?" Kari suggested, putting down another magazine. "Or Phantom of the Opera theme?"

Maria smirked. "Yes, Glenn as the masked Phantom from Phantom of the Opera with Gerard Butler, would seem like a good idea, but I doubt Glenn could pull off the look. He's not as hot as Gerard Butler." She glanced at Thea who frowned at her. "No offense."

Thea rolled her eyes and flipped through a magazine, not really looking at the models wearing beautiful dresses. "None taken…I never said that Glenn was a to-die-for looker. He's just really cute."

Layla leaned forward and pushed a magazine into Thea's hands. "What about this one?" she asked, pointing at a dress. "I think it would look gorgeous on you."

Taryn and Barbara peered over at the dress and nodded encouragingly. "That _is _a beautiful dress…" they crooned. "You should get it."

Thea looked down at the page and sighed. "That dress is over a thousand dollars…I don't want to pay more than six hundred for my dress and I would prefer not to have to pay even that much for something that I'll only wear once."

"Thea, you're not going to pay for this," Maria commented with a small smile. "All you have to do is get Glenn to give you his card and you'll get to buy whatever you want."

"Isn't that wrong?" Kari asked, cocking her head to one side as she looked at another magazine, trying to figure out how the model got the dress on. "It's his money, not hers. Even if Glenn would gladly pay for something that will make her happy…this sounds like a bit much."

"Come on Kari," Taryn said, rolling her eyes. "I made Drew buy my dress for me. It was expensive, but that's nothing compared to the memories of my wedding." She sighed dreamily. "I looked beautiful in that dress…"

Thea shook her head. "I'm not making Glenn buy my dress for me. I'll do my own shopping and once we get a theme down, Glenn and I will work out a budget for it."

"Budget?" Taryn looked confused. "You're supposed to go all-out on a wedding. You're only going to get married once, so why shouldn't you go a little overboard with the spending? It's not like we don't have a lot of money. We're celebrities!"

Thea glanced at Beth, who shook her head. She was starting to feel sick. Her stomach hurt and she had a pounding headache.

"Stop stressing Thea out," Beth ordered, walking over to the table. "This is her wedding and you're only supposed to help her get ideas. You're not supposed to take control of the wedding. Give her a break."

Layla frowned. "Why are you so concerned about her stress levels Beth?"

"I'm her friend."

"So am I, but you don't see me snapping at the others for giving her suggestions."

Thea saw that Kari was bouncing, looking excited about something. Kari made a small rocking motion with her hands and pointed at Thea. Thea quickly shook her head and looked away, pretending she hadn't noticed what Kari had done. Kari sighed and threw a packet down on the table.

"I think Thea should have a Labyrinth style wedding," she announced, gesturing at the packet. "She loves that movie and there are some beautiful Labyrinth-inspired dresses and suits that I've found that she may want to take a look at."

Thea reached for the packet of paper and shuffled through it. Her eyes lit up as she saw a picture of a Sarah-inspired dress that didn't have puffy sleeves. It was a light silver, almost white and had delicate silver designs across the bodice of the dress with a flowing skirt. Thea saw the hair pieces that came with it and smiled.

"This one's beautiful," she whispered, staring at the dress.

The girls crowded around her and made approving 'ooh' and 'ah' sounds. Kari looked proud of herself as the girls took the packet and started flipping through the pages, checking it out for bride's maid dresses. She made the rocking motion again and gestured at Thea's stomach.

Thea shook her head, but Kari wasn't easily shaken off like that. She pointed at Thea's stomach again and mouthed 'I know you are'. Thea shook her head again and mouthed back, 'No, I'm not'. Kari nodded and made the rocking motion again. Thea shook her head and slammed her fist into her hand, glaring pointedly at Kari. Kari rolled her eyes and looked back at the magazines.

"It's only five hundred dollars," Taryn said, looking up from the packet. "It fits under your budget and it's custom made. You can't beat that."

"No, you can't," Thea agreed with a small smile, thinking that this was going to be the end of this girl hour.

"Now, let's decide the colors of the wedding," Layla said with a smile. "I was wondering if we could get the bride's maid dresses in a purple color. I've brought some samples of colors that I think would be beautiful at the wedding."

Thea sighed, realizing that it was too soon to escape.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn looked up from his laptop when he heard someone enter the room. A small smile graced his lips when he saw that it was Thea, armed with her gigantic bag of wedding magazines that he wasn't supposed to look at. "Did you get a lot planned out?" he asked, setting aside his laptop as he got to his feet.

"I hope I have most of the wedding planned out," Thea muttered, dropping her bag and rolling her shoulders. "I don't think I can stand to go through that torture again."

Glenn smirked and wrapped his arms around her, placing a small kiss on her forehead. "You could always ask me for help. I have been married before."

Thea sighed and looked up at him. "I would love nothing more than to have you help plan this wedding, but the girls will go crazy if I change anything or do something without their opinion. This is too stressful."

Glenn guided her to a chair and let her sit down. "You can't let this bother you. Too much stress is bad for you, especially now."

Thea gave him a look. "I told you that I wasn't sure about that. I have to get checked by a doctor first, then you can go overprotective on me."

"I'll always be overprotective of you," Glenn told her, walking over to the mini-bar and pulling her a soda out of it. "That's my job."

Kari came bursting into the room and pointed at Thea. "A-ha! I knew it!" she exclaimed. "You thought you could hide it from me, but you can't hide anything from me now that I'm engaged to the Undertaker. I know everything! Absolutely everything! So ha!"

Thea's eyes widened and she clambered to her feet. "Kari, I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Thea, don't think you can lie to me either!" Kari snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Thea. "I can see through everything you say. I can see through you and Glenn now. You're as translucent as glass to me now."

"Really?" Glenn asked.

Kari shrugged and scuffed her shoe on the ground. "Well, sort of. I mean, I can't literally see through anything solid, but I do know things about the two of you that no one else knows."

"Kari, we're not hiding anything," Thea stated, sliding her hand into Glenn's. "If you were listening at the door, you would know that."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire, hanging from a telephone wire," Kari sang, walking closer. "I know what's going on in that little body of yours. I know that something is up between the two of you. And it's not just the idea that Thea wants to elope right now."

Glenn looked at Thea. "You want to elope?"

"No."

"She's thought about it," Kari commented. "But that's not why I'm here. No, I'm here because the two of you created something that needs to be taken care of."

"Kari, we haven't -"

"Shut up Thea," Kari ordered. "I know you are pregnant."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: Way to go Kari. Your deduction may be true, but how do you know these things? Review me people and if you want Kari to tell something to you in the next update, feel to ask her anything. (Thea might interject every now and then.) This ought to be fun. ~Scarlet **

**P.S.: I've written the final chapter. It's only five chapters away, so let the countdown commence!**


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: Sorry that I didn't get that last update up in a timely manner. I tried but the site wouldn't let me update it. So, here's your next update. **

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"You are pregnant," Kari repeated when Thea and Glenn didn't say anything.

Thea stared at Kari with wide eyes. "How – how did you find out?" she demanded, placing a hand on her stomach.

"I have my ways," Kari said with a smirk, examining her nails. "I kind of had a hint when Beth and Glenn didn't want you to be too stressed out. And the rushed wedding was a dead giveaway." She smiled at Thea happily. "When are you due to have the spawn of Satan?"

"Kari, I don't even know if there is a baby," Thea told her with a frown. "All I know is that I'm late for my monthly friend and I'm going to see the doctor at the end of the week for the test to confirm the pregnancy."

Kari rolled her eyes and reached into her purse, pulling out a home pregnancy test. "That's what these things are for. Leave the doctors out of the mix whenever possible to avoid high bills."

"Those things aren't one hundred percent accurate," Glenn said, watching Kari weigh the box in her hand.

"And you know what else isn't one hundred percent accurate?" Kari asked, feigning sweetness. "Condoms. And Baby is the proof of it." She narrowed her eyes. "Tell me you were using a condom and that this is the point 1 percent that the labels on condoms warn you about."

Glenn glanced at Thea whose frown deepened. "We…"

"Didn't use a condom," Kari finished for him. "How could you not use a condom Glenn? You're not married yet for Pete's sake! Was your intention to get Thea pregnant with a man's evil seed this whole time?"

"Evil?"

"I'm assuming you were channeling Kane again with all of that noise you two have been making since you got back together." Kari shuddered. "Those sounds at night really kill the mood when I'm trying to be romantic with my fiancé." She turned to Thea. "Tell me you're using birth control."

"Does it look like I use birth control?" Thea asked, crossing her arms.

Kari threw the home pregnancy test at Thea's head. "Are you both idiots? You're too young to be having children and you're not even married yet! This is unacceptable Thea! Glenn, you should know better. Thea has just gotten back into wrestling and she's turning her life around, but you're here making babies with her."

"It's not just his fault," Thea pointed out. "It takes two to make a baby."

"Shut up Thea, Mommy and Daddy are talking," Kari said, glaring at Glenn. "I demand an explanation Jacobs."

"Can't you just be happy for us?" Glenn asked, his eyes narrowing. "We're creating our family here."

"Hello? We don't even know if I'm pregnant," Thea reminded the two of them as she bent to pick up the pregnancy test that had fallen on the floor. "But if you give me a minute, we might get some result."

Kari watched Thea walk into the adjoining bathroom and close the door behind her. "I hope you can pee on that stick under all this pressure!" she called after her. "Because that's what you get for being pregnant with the seed of evil!" She thought about it for a moment. "NAME IT AFTER ME! OR MARK! OR BOTH OF US!"

"Men are not evil," Glenn stated, glaring at her.

"Most men aren't," Kari corrected, leaning back against the wall. "But I even think Mark is evil and he's been so good for me. I don't think you're a big smelly monster, but I do think you're a big smelly evil man." She sighed and shook her head. "You and Mark are too good at playing the hand of evil in the ring. Mark scares me. You scare me. But I'm not going to back down and I'm not going to let Thea back down either."

"She's scared of us?" Glenn asked as his anger faded. "She's scared of me?"

Kari shook her head furiously. "She's not, but she's afraid of all the things Mark knows about. She worries about me, but right now, I'm more worried about her." She frowned. "Glenn, I don't think her insides can handle a baby so soon after the No Mercy fiasco. It's only been ten months, I don't think that's enough time for her body to completely mend one hundred percent."

"She doesn't act like she's in pain," Glenn muttered, his brow furrowing. "She'd tell me if she was hurting."

"I've seen her wince and touch her stomach after an intense workout," Kari whispered, glancing at the door behind which Thea was hidden. "She didn't get checked out very well before she came back. The docs just bound her up and let her go back to wrestling."

"Thea's tough."

"I know she is, but I'm concerned about her and the baby." She gave him a look when he opened his mouth to say something. "I know she's pregnant. I can feel it in my bones that she's pregnant…She's got the beginning of the glow that comes with motherhood."

"We'll see," Glenn said, looking back at the door to the bathroom.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea looked down at the little stick she held awkwardly in a piece of toilet paper in her hand. The box said that it would take five minutes to show a confirmation or a negative. She stared at the stick, wishing that the time would go by faster. She needed to know this now – waiting a week to go to the doctors for the test hadn't seemed like a good idea in the first place. This little stick in her hand could drastically change her life with one little answer.

_Am I ready to have a baby?_ Thea thought, sitting down on the edge of the bathtub. _A marriage and a baby…is this all happening too fast? What's next? A new house…will I have to move into Glenn's house? Will we buy a new house? What about our career? What will I do when he retires? Should I continue to wrestle when he leaves SmackDown in the next decade? How many kids will he want to have? How many can I have? What kind of life will they have with their parents on the road all of the time?_

Her cell phone vibrated on the counter near the sink. Five minutes was up. Thea took a deep breath and looked down at the stick. She closed her eyes when she saw the result and a small smile graced her lips.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Kari leaned against the door, her ear pressed against it. "I can't hear anything except that stupid cell phone buzzing. Maybe she passed out…or died. Nah, I'd I know if she was dead…" She knocked on the door lightly. "Thea…oh Thea…are you all right in there?"

No answer.

"Thea, you better answer me or I'm going to come bursting in there," Kari threatened, pressing her head closer to the door.

The doorknob turned and the door opened, causing Kari to almost fall forward. Thea stood there with the stick in one hand and the other was on the doorknob. Kari put her hands behind her back and tried to feign innocence.

"I didn't do anything," Kari said, hurriedly. "I…I lost my contact."

"You don't wear contacts," Thea pointed out.

"The question was not about my eyesight Thea," Kari commented with a small smile. "It was about your pee stick. What does it say? Yea or nay?"

Thea looked at Glenn and awkwardly handed the pregnancy test over to him. He glanced down at the stick and his brow furrowed.

"Glenn doesn't know what those little signs mean," Kari guessed, edging towards the bathroom. "I'll go get the box and we'll decipher the code for him."

Thea waited until Kari was in the bathroom before smiling up at him. He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her.

"You're going to be daddy," she whispered, her breath tickling his ear. "A very good daddy, I might add."

"And you're going to be a wonderful mother," Glenn said, hugging her tighter. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Kari came back out of the bathroom with the box in her hand. She saw the two of them hugging and a broad smile crossed her face. She hopped over to them and wrapped her arms around the two of them, stretching her fingers to their maximum length.

"I'm so happy for you guys!" Kari sang. "You two are going to be some of the coolest parents in the world! Boy, will your kids be screwed up." She hugged them tighter. "You know, since Glenn's the father, they could dwarf you when they're thirteen, Thea. Of course, I expect them to dwarf me by the time they hit ten. Geez, your kids are going to be freaking giants. Giants! I don't even want to think about how tall my kids are going to be…They'll be huge when they come out…Better watch out Thea, I don't think your body will be happy pushing out Kane's evil babies…they'll be freaking huge!"

Thea and Glenn looked down at Kari with quirked up eyebrows.

"Kari…?"

Kari smiled and gave them both a friendly squeeze. "I'm really happy for the two of you, but…you can't just have my opinion. You have to tell Grandma Grace, Lee, Drew, Stephen, and everyone else."

Thea looked uncertain. "Can't we wait until I see the doctor for complete confirmation to tell them all about it?"

"Okay," Kari said, releasing the two of them. "I'll tell them that you're going to wait to inform them about your expectancy."

She smirked and started heading for the door while Thea and Glenn processed what she had just said. All she had to do was count to five before Thea had her arm around her neck, holding her fast in place.

"Don't. You. Dare." Thea hissed, putting stress on each word as she put a little more pressure on Kari's neck.

Kari laughed and patted Thea's arm. "They need to know before one of them accidentally hurts you. You're going to have to stop wrestling for months…oh geez that means we can't do a doubles match. You know I wanted to go against you and Glenn with Paul, but…Aw, Thea this pregnancy ruins everything!"

"We're sorry to inconvenience you with something that was going to happen eventually." Glenn shook his head and Thea sighed. "Well, at least, I'm sorry. I wanted a baby. Of course I was hoping for a baby after I got married, but maybe that's how it will work out anyway."

"Right," Kari said, rolling her eyes. "What are you going to do? Get married in two months."

Thea looked at Glenn. "Well…"

"It sounds like a good idea," Glenn admitted.

Kari blanched. "What? No! It's not a good idea!"

"Goodbye Kari," Thea said, pushing her friend out the door and she made sure the door was locked behind her. "See you when we send out the invites."

Kari stared at the door with a large frown. "Me and my big mouth."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: The next few chapters are going to rush some events. Don't be surprised if Thea changes her mind about a lot of things. And be prepared for a really bad person to reveal herself into the mix and more **_**cheesy with a hint of corn**_** topics. Down to four more chapters! ~ Scarlet**


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: Hello! Thanks for all the reviews! I can't wait for this story to be over with because I have other projects I want to start working on… So here's another update this week!**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn stood near the door to the hotel room where Shane McMahon was staying. Thea was in there – she had wanted to go in alone – talking about her future with that man. It had been confirmed that she was pregnant by a doctor earlier that morning and Thea wanted to give Shane the heads up before he put her through any more matches. Glenn had already called his relatives to tell them of the conception and Thea had called her remaining relatives as well. The only people that didn't know about the conception were their friends and the WWE Universe. And Glenn didn't plan on letting the WWE Universe know first.

"I'm going to be a father," Glenn whispered with a smirk.

He was already the stepdad to two girls, but they had never really felt like family. Now that he was with someone he was going to love for the rest of time and was having a child with her, he was starting to think about his future family.

Would he make a good enough dad? How many children would they have before Glenn grew too old? How would they work out a schedule that would guarantee that the children wouldn't have to live on the road like Thea and Glenn did? What would the children think of the age difference between their parents when they grew old enough to care? What would Thea's family think of her conceiving a baby before the wedding with a forty-three year old man?

_What would they think? _Glenn thought, glancing at the door. _She told me that Lee was happy about the conception, but she locked herself in the bathroom when she called her other relatives. What do they think?_

"Congratulations," Mark's gravelly voice said, making Glenn glance to his left. "For the conception of your first child."

Glenn didn't need to ask how Mark already knew about the pregnancy. Mark always had his ways and Glenn had a feeling Kari had loose lips around Mark. "Thanks."

"I'm glad that you get to have your first child with someone who loves you," Mark continued. "Some of us haven't been as fortunate."

"What?"

"I will never get to say that my first child comes from the person I'll spend forever with," Mark said, looking at the wall across from him without really seeing it. "Kari will never have the honor of bearing my first child."

"Sometimes…unworthy women come first," Glenn muttered. "You told me that when I was thinking that love wouldn't shine on me again."

"I did." Mark nodded his head once. "But I do not regret my relationships with my ex-wives. We created three beautiful children and organized many beneficial charities…I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world."

"Not even if you could have shared them with Kari?"

Mark's lips curled up in a half smile. "Kari and I will have many new experiences shared only by a few friends. But I won't pretend that my past was not good without her…it can only get better in the future I'll share with her." The Dead Man glanced at Glenn. "You'll have many experiences to reflect upon with Thea and more to look forward to in the future."

"I know I will." Glenn felt pride swell up in his chest. "I know I've found the one that's perfect for me."

"Yes, but you're far from a perfect couple," Mark pointed out. "There is no perfect couple in the world, only people who are perfect for their partners…"

Glenn glanced to his right when he heard movement in the room behind him. The doorknob didn't turn and he heard no footsteps approaching the door. Thea was still talking with Shane about who-knows-what.

"I don't want people to know Thea's pregnant until we get her future planned out," Glenn told Mark as he looked back at the man. "Thea wants to go to college to get her Associates Degree in the Fine Arts after the honey moon. She already took one year while she was recovering from her first assault…she thinks she can finish her second year quickly, after all, she's been taking the course online."

"The company smiles upon people with college degrees," Mark commented. "But will she be able to handle it all with a marriage, a baby on the way, and her career?"

"She wants four months off of work," Glenn explained. "Three for the pregnancy and one for taking care of the baby..."

"The McMahon family will give her that time and more if she asks for it. She's brought the company a lot of attention and record profits. That's all they care about. The sooner she can get back into fighting order they'll want her back in the ring to earn them more attention and more money."

"We should know," Glenn muttered. "They've done it to us for years."

Mark nodded. "I've been thinking about retiring…" Glenn shot him a startled look. "Not any time soon, Glenn, but I've been thinking about it. Even Michael is thinking about retiring. We're not getting any younger and each injury we obtain takes longer to heal then it used to." He smirked. "We're getting old."

"I don't feel old."

"Young brides keep a man young. And being surrounded by so many young people all the time helps…sometimes."

Glenn nodded. "That it does."

Mark clapped a hand on Glenn's shoulder briefly. "You take care of your fiancé. She needs you to be her rock…she's received some bad news."

"Shane won't give her the time off?"

"No. He's given her the time off. But…I'll let her tell you what's wrong on her own."

Mark turned and vanished down the hall. Glenn looked down the hall for a moment before he became aware that the door knob was turning. The door opened, revealing Thea dressed in her favorite pair of jeans and striped midriff top. She was smiling and Glenn took it to mean that she had gotten what she wanted.

"He's happy for us," Thea told him as she closed the door behind her. "He's going to work with the script writers to come up with an explanation of why I can't fight. Don't be surprised if he says I'm suspended from wrestling for beating up someone. But other than that, I got what I wanted."

Glenn smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they started walking down the hall. "Is there anything else that you want to tell me?"

"…No."

"Okay." He wouldn't push the subject further until she wanted to reveal to him what was on her mind. "Let's go get some breakfast."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"_Thea, I'm happy for you. I've always wanted you to find someone that will treat you like a princess," Lee said with sincerity in his voice over the phone. "It's about time you and Kane admitted your feelings and got engaged."_

"_When are you going to find someone and get engaged yourself, Lee-san?" Thea asked, resting against the wall in the hall way. _

"_I've got a girlfriend, but I'm going to wait until I get a movie out before I ask her to marry me. I need the financial security."_

"_Okay."_

"_About the baby…"_

"_What about the baby?"  
"I'm happy for you…I know you've always wanted kids, but the family isn't really thrilled that you're having a baby out of wedlock with a man who's as old as Dad was." He gave an uncertain laugh. "You know how Grandma Grace is about tradition…You're just lucky she's nowhere near you or she would have hit you around the kneecaps with her cane. That's what she did with Dad when he got Mom pregnant with me out of wedlock."_

_Thea sighed. "It wasn't planned, trust me. I mean, we are a completely monogamous couple, so we didn't see any real reason to use protection…"_

"_TMI sis, TMI…" He tapped something. "They don't like the idea."_

"_Well, they're going to have to get used to it because I'm not calling off the wedding or giving up the baby. I love Glenn."_

"_I know you love Kane, but I'm simply giving you the heads up about the situation here. Don't be surprised if holidays become more awkward than normal. Dirty looks, snide comments, or just plain old cold shoulders…You and Kane are going to earn a lot of them."_

"_We're used to it."_

"_It won't be the same as the stuff Michelle McCool does to you. This is family we're talking about. The people who are supposed to love you unconditionally…" He hesitated. "They're also going to want you to stop wrestling."_

"_What?"_

"_They don't want you to raise a baby on the road. What kind of life will the baby have if it doesn't have a place to call home? Where will it go to school if you're on the road all the time and Thea-chan, don't tell me you're thinking about homeschooling the baby."_

"_Glenn and I will work this out," Thea told him. "A lot of people in the wrestling business have children and they turn out just fine."_

"_Do these children have parents who are both Superstars?"_

"_Um…"_

"_That's what I thought. This is exactly why Dad wanted you to consider getting a job someplace else."_

"_Lee…what are you talking about?"_

_Lee sighed. "Lightning hasn't told you about the promise he made with Dad, has he?"  
"Told me what?"_

_Lee hesitated, cursing quietly on his side of the phone. Thea waited for him to speak to her, but he was quietly rambling to himself in Japanese. She couldn't understand him because he was speaking too fast and too quietly, but she could pick out Carlos' name every now and then and understood that he was cursing Carlos._

"_Lee," she said, breaking into his rant. "What was the promise that Carlos made with Dad?"_

_Lee was silent for a moment as if debating whether or not it was too late to take back what he had said. "Dad wanted you to get out of the wrestling business after the first attack on you and wanted it even more once you were attacked at No Mercy. He was willing to get you injured one more time, to have some sense beat into you to the point that you would give up on the wrestling and go back to acting. So he enlisted Lightning to get together with the man that had attacked you and put you out of commission. He wanted to scare you away from wrestling because he was afraid that he was going to lose his baby girl."_

_Thea took a deep breath, trying to fight back her anger. "You knew about this?"_

"_Yes."_

"_And you didn't tell me?"_

"_You weren't supposed to know about it…I'm sorry Thea, we only wanted what was best for you."_

"_I'm sorry too…"_

Thea sat there at the table in the dining room of the hotel with a wedding magazine and a pad of paper sitting in front of her, waiting. Carlos walked into the dining room as she scribbled down some notes and flashed a charming smile in her direction. She ignored him for the moment, busy with her task.

"Thea," he greeted, taking a seat across from her. "To what do I owe the honor of being invited to your lunch table?"

Thea's eyes stayed focused on her wedding magazine. "I know about the promise Carlos."

Carlos' smile slipped. "Pardon?"

In a flash, Thea looked up at him through narrow eyes. "You promised my father that you would get me out of wrestling."

"Thea, I can explain," he said, holding his hand out in surrender.

"Do it then because right now, I'm thinking more people than Nick were involved in No Mercy," Thea snapped, a bit of acid in her voice as she threw her pen down on the table.

"Thea, love, Markus and I had nothing to do with No Mercy," Carlos whispered in a soothing voice. "The promise came after No Mercy. We wanted to see you out of harm's way, so Markus asked me to do anything, anything to get you out of the wrestling circuit. I was to join the masked leader – Nemeth – and tell him your weaknesses. It would all lead up to a match where one of you would be forced to quit wrestling forever…but Nemeth's pride got the best of him and he didn't follow any plan that we came up with." He placed a hand on top of hers. "We were only trying to help keep you safe."

"You lied to me for months," Thea hissed. "You, Lee, my father! How could you lie to me? I thought you all loved me! Was it all just one giant lie? An act?"

"No! Love, no!" Carlos squeezed her hand gently. "We all love you…We just didn't want to bring tears to your eyes or drive a wedge between us. We wanted you out but we also wanted you to be happy."

"Fat chance," Thea mumbled.

"We never took Jacobs' love for you into consideration. Jacobs does everything in his power to keep you safe and loves you in a way I've never seen except in movies…" He sighed. "He made it hard to keep the promise to get you out because of his protective nature."

Thea sent him a dark look and crossed her arms. "But you still want me out?"

"Yes. I want you to be able to raise a family with Glenn without the fear of being attacked again or hurt." He leaned forward in his seat. "Love, do you know how much it hurts me to see you get hurt in the ring? No man should ever be allowed to touch you like that."

"It's al l for show, Carlos. It's not real."  
"Yes, it is." He sighed. "Thea, I know you're not going to give up wrestling because this was something you and Damon wanted to do from the first time you saw wrestling on TV. I won't say that I'll completely give up on this promise I made with your father, but if you get pregnant, I want you to take some time off."

"I will take time off," Thea promised. "In five months."

"Five months?" Carlos' eyes widened. "You're…? You're not…?"

Thea nodded and a wide smile crossed Carlos' lips. He jumped to his feet and wrapped his arms around her.

"Congratulations love!" he sang.

"Hey, no hugging," Thea said, pushing him away. "I'm still mad at you. You're going to have to find a way to make this up to me and then I won't be mad at you. So go on and converse with my brother. You two have a lot of work cut out for you if you ever want me to forgive you." She glanced up heavenward. "I've already forgiven Dad."

Carlos bowed. "Your wish is my command," he said before walking off with a smile on his face.

Thea sighed and returned to her notepad, looking at all the wedding plans. "This is going to bug me for the longest time…Thanks a lot Dad…"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: There, now one loose end is tied up. There's going to be a couple more problems for Thea to deal with. And you got one of the problems pointed out…Michelle will do something, but I was thinking more of a woman in Kane's past rearing her ugly head. Until that chapter comes, I'll let you puzzle your brains over what she could possibly do. Cheers! ~Scarlet**


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: So I'm pumping out these last few chapter updates at a fast pace. (It's spring break down here, so who can blame me?) I'm hoping to hit 180 reviews before I post the last two chapters, just because you're so great at reviewing, my faithful readers. So here's hoping that you enjoy this update…**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea leaned back against Glenn as they watched a movie in his house. She had her knees drawn up, balancing a notebook of pictures and notes. She scribbled something on the page with the tuxes that she hoped he'd like to have, knowing that she had found the dress that could go with any of them. She felt his hand rub her stomach as his arm encircled her waist and shivered.

"Glenn, I'm working here," she said quietly, turning her head slightly to look at him.

"I thought we were supposed to be watching the movie," Glenn commented, looking down at her.

"I'm listening to the movie and picturing the images in my head," Thea muttered, turning a page and flipping back to the tux page. "What do you think of these tuxes?"

Glenn glanced down at the notebook of pictures on the page. He gave each one a ten second glance over before moving onto the next. Then he looked back at the TV, tuning back into the movie.

"They're fine," he said.

"Well, which would you like to wear?" Thea asked, pen poised to write down his choice.

"Which would you like to see me in?" Glenn turned the question back on her.

"Let's not play that game. I'd like a straight answer."

Glenn looked back at the notebook and reached around her, pointing at a picture of a black tux with blue embellishing designs on the jacket. "That one."

"Okay." Thea circled it. "I'll talk with the Kate and ask her about your measurements."

"Can't you ask me?"

"I could, but do you honestly know your measurements?"

"I know my pants size and my shirt size."

"But you don't know everything. She does." Thea sagged back against him and flipped a couple of pages. "I want a Labyrinth inspired wedding…"

"Then we'll have one," Glenn promised as the credits started playing. "Anything you want, you'll get it."

"How about a kiss?" Thea asked, tipping her head back so she could look at him.

Glenn gave her a quick, tender kiss. She smiled at him and pointed at the flowers she had picked out for the wedding. "I can't decide between orchids or lilies. And somehow I want to include white roses, but all these flowers are going to be expensive in mass quantities."

"Money is not an issue," Glenn told her. "I have enough money saved up for something like this."

"I don't want to dip into your retirement funds," Thea stated, scratching her head. "Maria said we could cut the cost of flowers by having small arrangements instead of big ones and include silver balloon arrangements at the tables." She made a nervous sound. "That'd only cut the cost by half, but that's a plus…I think."

Glenn pulled her closer, his fingers gently stroking her stomach. "Thea, you need to stop fretting about this. If you don't, I'll hire a wedding planner to help you."

"I don't need a wedding planner. That'd just increase the cost of the wedding. I want to keep it well below ten thousand dollars." She frowned. "I don't want a big fat celebrity wedding."

"I know."

"I could handle a smaller wedding with the WWE family," Thea commented, turning to look at him fully. "You know, a small wedding with our friends and family. All we'd need would be the rings, our outfits, some flowers, and a minister? We could pull it off in a couple of weeks instead of months."

"I thought you always wanted a big wedding?"

"It'll cost too much, take too much time, and drive me crazy." Thea took his hand. "Glenn, all I want is to be married to you. As long as I get to say the words 'I do', that's all I need to have the perfect wedding."

Glenn looked at her for a moment, studying her face. She hadn't seen so much love in his eyes since they first fell in love. It made her sad to know that she had missed out on so much of their reunion because of the wedding plans, their jobs, and everything else that seemed so meaningless these days.

"What day do you want to have the wedding?" he asked.

"Two weeks from today," Thea told him with a smile.

"Well, we've got a lot to do in that time frame," Glenn said with a smile. "We have to get your dress and the tux…I'll find the rings. We've got to get together a guest list and notify the minister, get a location picked out, and..."

Thea hugged him, cutting off his words. "This is going to be perfect." She giggled."How did I get such a great guy?"

Glenn hugged her back, breathing in the scent of her strawberry shampoo. "I'm wondering the same thing about you."

A soft rumbling sound came from between them. He pulled back with a quirked up eyebrow. Thea felt her face start burning with color and placed a hand over her stomach.

"Shut up tummy," she ordered quietly. "You're ruining the moment."

"Why didn't you tell me that you were hungry?" Glenn asked, getting to his feet. "I'll make dinner."

Thea watched him walk away, disappearing around a corner. She sighed and turned the movie off, putting the disc back in its case. The phone rang and Thea glanced at it, wondering if she should answer it. She shrugged and picked it up.

"Hello, Jacobs' residence, Thea Andrews speaking…how may I help you?" Thea asked, peering out the window.

"Ms. Andrews, may I talk with Glenn?" a woman inquired.

"May I ask for your name before I hand off the phone?"  
"Maurisa."

The name didn't mean anything to Thea, but she thought it must have been one of Glenn's associates that he'd forgotten to tell her about. "Hold on one minute." She walked into the kitchen to find Glenn cutting up some vegetables. "Glenn, someone wants to talk with you."

"Who is it?" Glenn asked absently, tossing the vegetables onto a pan and adding seasoning to it.

"Some lady named Maurisa," Thea said, waving the phone around. "She seems nice."

Glenn's hand slipped and he dropped the knife. He became visibly tenser and his jaw clenched. Thea stared at him for a moment, unsure of what had brought the change on.

"Glenn, who is Maurisa?" Thea asked.

"It doesn't matter," Glenn commented, taking the phone from her. "Will you keep an eye on the fish? It needs to be flipped in five minutes."

"Okay," Thea whispered, watching Glenn disappear again.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn walked out onto the back porch before speaking into the phone. "Maurisa," he rumbled. "What do you want?"

"I saw TMZ. I know about your relationship with Thea Andrews. She sounds more mature than she looks," Maurisa commented wryly. "Where'd you pick her up? The high school?"

"Maurisa, I'm not going to explain myself to you," Glenn stated, forcing himself to stay calm. "You lost that privilege when you cheated on me."

"Glenn, our daughters are almost as old at Thea is. How could you do this to them? They love you."

"They love _you_." Glenn corrected. "They love the fame they got as my stepdaughters. But I'm completely cutting off ties with you and them. Just as you once did with me."

"Glenn, if you marry her, it'll only bring scandals upon you. Are you going to abandon her as you did to me? I made a mistake Glenn and you nearly killed a man over it."

"I'm not going to apologize for anything that happened," Glenn said. "Not to you. The only people I feel sorry for are the girls. I'm sorry they have to have such a horrible mother who ruined everything when things were going good."

"Ha! Things weren't going good for all of us. They were only going good for you because you were on the road all the time. You didn't have to worry about the girls or deal with me. You had it made, but of course, this is all my fault."

"It is."

Maurisa was silent for a moment and Glenn could hear girls talking on the other end of the phone. "Your stepdaughters want to come to the wedding."

"No."

"You'll break their hearts?"

"Yes."

"You haven't changed. You're still the same heartless monster that people gawk over in that ridiculous ring. That girl you're with deserves better."

Glenn took a slow breath, letting out his anger in a nonverbal manner before he said something that he'd regret. "You're right, she deserves better than me, but she chose me to love and I'm not going to let anything that you say ruin my plans to marry her. She's everything that I want in a wife…everything that you weren't and could never be."  
"Glenn –"

"Don't call me again," Glenn ordered.

"Glenn –"

"Goodbye Maurisa." Glenn disconnected the call and blocked the number.

_How dare she try to ruin this marriage for me before it even begins_, Glenn thought, slipping back into the house and setting the phone aside. _She put me in her past and as soon as she gets wind of me becoming happy once more, she butts her ugly head into everything. But it won't work this time. No, I've found someone who won't treat me like Maurisa did. Things will turn out differently in the end._

He walked into the kitchen, smelling delicious cooked foods. Thea was working at the stove, making wild rice to go with the fish and vegetables. She had a small smile on her face and she kept playing with her engagement ring, hugging it to her chest for a moment before returning to stirring the rice around. Glenn leaned against the doorway, watching her cook.

_How did I get so lucky?_ Glenn asked himself. _I'm getting married to a beautiful, sweet girl…I'm having a child with her. Why did God suddenly decide to smile upon me?_

Glenn decided that it was best not to continue to stare at her from the doorway, even though he could watch her for hours if he wanted to. But she'd eventually realize that he was staring at her and would probably call him an 'Edward Cullen-wannabe' again (all in a teasing manner of course). He slipped into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder.

"Glenn," she said, turning the burner off. "Who was that lady on the phone?"

"Just an old friend," Glenn replied, only telling a half-fib. "Dinner smells good."

"Good." She turned and poured the rice into a ceramic dish, carefully placing the fish on top of it with the vegetables. "Everything is done…"

Glenn felt her turn around to face him, her safely encompassed in his arms. "Since when were you an excellent cook?"

"Mom and Dad taught me a lot before they died and I had to learn how to cook food fast because Lee cannot cook at all," Thea commented with a small smile. "Not even little TV dinners."

"He's that hopeless?"  
"Totally hopeless and helpless is my brother." She looked around. "You don't happen to have two candles, do you?"

"Why?"

"I was thinking we could have a romantic candle light dinner. And do you have sparkling white grape juice? I know you can drink white wine, but I'm not old enough to have alcohol."

Glenn put a finger to her lips as she started babbling, silencing her. "I think we can make an exception for tonight. Two glasses of wine and you're cut off, okay?"

Thea nodded and he removed his finger from her lips. She popped up and kissed him gently. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Glenn told her before breaking away to get some candles out of a drawer.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: So, not as cheesy as it once was, but it still has a hint of corniness. I realize this, so you don't have to tell me that in a review. But you can tell me anything else in the review and I really hope that you do review because they make me oh so very happy! Thanks and here's to the two remaining chapters! More problems await and loose ends need to be tied off! YAY! ~ Scarlet**


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: Thanks for reaching that milestone marker of 180 reviews guys! That's just completely and utterly awesome! I hope you enjoy this update, even if someone sticks her little nose into all of it…Guess who?**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea smiled when Drew and Stephen showed up in the hotel lobby. She hadn't really seen them since she had handed the invitations to them and even before that, she'd only talked with them briefly about her pregnancy. On both occasions, the boys had been thrilled to hear about the news and had given her plenty of hugs, but they had been disappointed that she hadn't told them about any of it sooner.

Now, they were all smiles as they walked over to her. She quickly gave each of them a hug and hooked her arm through theirs.

"We need to get going now," she said, casting a look around for anyone. "Kate's going to meet us at the house to finish altering your tuxes. And then you guys get to see my dress."

"You made sure that Glenn wouldn't be there, lass?" Stephen asked as the three matched each other's stride on the way towards the doors. "I don't want him to see you in your dress before the wedding. It's bad luck."

"Glenn will be out running errands all day," Thea told him. "I've got him working overtime with the arrangements and he's agreed to stay away from the house until I give him a call in the event that he finishes early. Everything will be fine."

"I can't wait to see you in that dress," Drew commented, looking at her. "You've been going on and on about it, but you haven't shown us any pictures."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't get the dress until yesterday." She blinked against the harsh glare of the sunshine as they stepped outside. "The makers of it were cutting it very close when they delivered it, but…You guys are going to love it when you see it."

They fell silent as someone stepped in their path. Michelle McCool stood there, dressed in designer skinny jeans and a Flawless t-shirt with designer sunglasses on. She tipped her face to the side for a moment, studying them like a hunter might contemplate its prey before feasting.

"Thea dear," she said in a sweet voice. "How are you? We haven't talked in ages."

"Uh…I'm fine," Thea muttered, taken aback by the sudden kindness from Michelle McCool. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I got my nails done, bought some makeup, a few new outfits, a dress…It's just a typical Wednesday. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah."

Drew and Stephen exchanged a look over Thea's head and adjusted their grips on their suitcases. "All right McCool, what do you want?" Drew asked.

"What do you mean Drew?" Michelle asked innocently, looking at him through her dark shades. "I didn't say I wanted anything."

"No, but you usually aren't this nice to someone unless you want something from them," Drew pointed out.

"So, start talking McCool," Stephen ordered.

Michelle sighed, falling silent for a moment. "Thea, why didn't I get an invite to the wedding?" she asked quietly.

Thea stared at her for a moment. "You want to know why you didn't get an invitation…"

"She doesn't have to answer that," Drew said, glaring at Michelle. "You should already know the answer. You've been mean to her since she came to the WWE, so why should she allow you to come to what's supposed to be one of the most perfect, happy days of her life?"

"I've been nice to her…" Michelle mumbled, shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot.

"Ha! Right. You nice? Don't make me laugh." Stephen started tugging Thea around Michelle. "Now if you don't mind, we've got places to be."

Thea slid her arms away from Drew and Stephen's. "Guys, now you're the ones being mean," she said, looking at them. "She deserves to hear an answer from me and I'd rather not hear you bad mouth someone in my presence. That makes you just as bad as the Flawless posse." She looked at Michelle. "Michelle, you deserve an answer."

Michelle nodded, but remained silent.

"I didn't give you an invitation because I don't know you well enough to have included you in the most special day of my life," Thea explained, staring into Michelle's almost invisible eyes. "What I do know of you and the experiences that we've shared are marked with meanness. You made fun of me the very first time we met and it wasn't in good natured fun. It was meant to hurt me, to make me look down upon myself. You never reached out a hand to help me when I was hurting. You were there on the wrong side at No Mercy, so easily bought to the side of evil."

"But Layla…she was invited," Michelle whispered.

"Layla has attempted to make things better between us. She's asked for forgiveness and I have given it to her. I still remember what she did to me with you at her side, but I'm willing to put that in the past." She turned her head slightly when Drew made a disapproving sound. "I'm not saying that I'm willing to automatically give you my forgiveness right now Michelle because it takes time for the healing process to begin. I can't let you come to the wedding because things have already been planned out, but that's the same story for many of our fellow coworkers. You are not the only one that hasn't received an invitation, so don't take it personally that I didn't invite you. It was a joint decision between me and Glenn."

Michelle sighed and looked away for a moment, raking a hand through her platinum blonde locks. Thea expected her to go off, but Michelle remained calm. A small smile crossed Michelle's face and she looked back at Thea.

"Maybe one day we'll be friends," Michelle commented. "I could teach you some fashion tips and you…you could teach me how to be so nice." She lowered her glasses and winked. "Glenn's a lucky man. Make sure that he remembers that, okay?"

"Okay."

"Text me some pictures of you dress later," Michelle requested. "I'm dying to see this Labyrinth inspired dress. Ciao."

Thea watched her walk away and smiled. "All right."

"Lass, you never cease to surprise me," Stephen said when Thea turned back to the two men.

"Thank you." Thea bowed her head with a smile. "Now let's go to my house and get those tuxes fixed up, shall we?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea watched Kate work around the two men, making final adjustments to their tuxes. She smiled at them and took a few pictures of them to later include in her wedding album and scrapbook. Drew made a face at her to make her laugh and she snapped the flash in his face, temporarily blinding him.

"You two look handsome," Thea said with a smile as she set the camera aside. "Lee? Lee where are you? I want to see you in your tux!"

"I've got movies to be making!" Lee's voice came from his room down the hall. "Can't you just be content that it fits and let me get back to making the movie that I want to play for you and Kane at your reception?"

Thea crossed her arms and glared down the hall. "Lee, I'm giving you five seconds to get out here before I run in there and perform Cobra 9 on you!"

Lee muttered something in Japanese before appearing in the hallway. Thea smiled at him as she looked at the tux that he wore. He reminded her so much of their father, dressed as he was. It took her back to the time when Markus had put a tux on and had escorted her to prom when no one else would. Tears came to her eyes but she quickly blinked them back.

_I miss you Daddy_, she thought.

"Well, how do I look?" Lee asked, gesturing at his outfit.

"You look…" There was no other way to say it. "Like Dad."

Lee nodded and crossed over to her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. "Are you sure you can handle this… so soon?"

Thea thought about it for a split second and nodded as he pulled away. "It's something I've dreamed about doing since I was a little girl, Lee…I've always wanted a wedding, a family…but, I always thought that Dad was going to be around to see it." She let out a small laugh. "He said he wanted to parade my children around like little soldiers through town…but now I'll never get that chance."

"What makes you think that I won't try to step up and be the best uncle your kids ever had?" Lee asked, cocking his head to one side. "I'll march them around like soldiers and take so many videos of them that each of your computers will be full of them and so will your movie closet."

Thea smiled. "I'd like that."

Lee smiled right back at her, keeping his arm hooked around her shoulders. Kate rocked back on her heels and straightened, pulling the last pin out of Stephen's tux.

"Well, I've done all that I could on their tuxes," Kate said, looking at Thea. "What do you think?"

Thea tipped her head to the side and looked at her two best friends. "They look great." She smiled slightly at Kate. "You really are a miracle worker."

"Okay Sheamus, McIntyre," Lee boomed. "Captain Morgan poses now!"

The three men struck the Captain Morgan pose and Kate laughed. Thea lifted the camera and took a few pictures before Drew and Lee got in an invisible light saber fight. She shook her head and handed the camera off to Stephen.

"Lass, are you going to get in your dress now?" Stephen asked, snapping a quick picture of the two of them.

"All right, but make sure the two idiots don't kill each other." Thea turned to leave and Lee feigned dying from being stabbed by Drew's invisible light saber. "If you can…"

"I make no promises."

Thea smirked and slipped into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She walked over to the closet and fished around in the back of it, finding what she was looking for. A beautiful white dress came to her hands. Silver designs crisscrossed and swirled over the bodice and faded into the skirt. She felt almost guilty touching such a work of art, even if she had bought it for the biggest day of her life.

Thea quickly stripped out of her unnecessary day clothes and slipped into the dress. It was cool against her skin and Thea stood there for a moment, looking at her reflection in the closet mirror. She put a hand over her mouth to hide her awed smile.

"It's perfect," she whispered.

A gentle knock on the door startled her. "Lass? Are you going to come out anytime soon?"

"One minute," Thea called, reaching behind herself and zipping up the back of the dress all the way.

She put a hand on her stomach for a moment, thinking of the life that was residing inside of her at that very moment. A soft smile crossed her lips and she walked over to the door and slipped out of the room.

The boys fell silent as they saw her. Slow smiles crossed their faces and Kate clapped her hands together in a happy, but quiet sign of approval. Thea blushed and gestured at herself, doing a little turn.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked, looking at them.

Stephen glanced up towards heaven. "Erin, I'm afraid a mortal has beaten you in beauty," he said.

"Lass, you've never looked so much like a fairytale princess in your life," Drew commented with a wide smile. "It'll take all of Glenn's will power not to sweep you out of the chapel before you make it to the front of it."

"All right boys, back off," Lee ordered, smacking both of the men on the back of the head. "Remember, she's my baby sister and that you both have a girlfriend or a wife. If you don't watch it, I'll throw water on you, horn dogs."  
"Oh, no you won't!" Kate snapped, smacking him with a rolled up piece of paper. "Their suits were expensive! You are not putting water on them!" She smiled as she looked back at Thea. "I think you look gorgeous."

"Thanks Kate." She looked down at herself again. "Do you think I need to make any alterations?"

"No dear, that dress is absolutely perfect."

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn watched Kari try on another ring. Apparently, she had the same ring size as Thea and wanted to try on any ring that he picked out for Thea. So far, they'd been through ten rings with Glenn still uncertain of what he would like to see on Thea.

"Thea hates gold," Kari said, examining the ring on her finger. "But she likes white gold, very white gold. And she likes silver metals. No diamonds."

"Are you sure you're not coming up with your own opinions?" Glenn asked, peering down at the display cases full of wedding rings. "I'm not here to buy a wedding ring for you."

"No duh," Kari muttered, handing the ring back to the clerk. "Mark is going to buy our wedding bands, but they won't be anything fancy. The rings will probably just be simple bands of gold or silver…we haven't decided yet."

"You have a year to plan your wedding," Glenn pointed out, staring at three rings that he wanted to believe that Thea would like. "Ours is Wednesday."

"What a horrible day to have a wedding on. Smack dab in the middle of the work week." She shrugged. "But do what you want. I'll be happy for the two of you."

"Good."

He asked the clerk if he could look at one of the rings and they gladly handed it to him. He compared it to his gold wedding ring. It was smaller, in a white gold color and a row of purple pearls were arranged on it. Kari leaned over and looked at it with a smile on her face.

"I think you've made a good choice Glenn," she said. "I mean, it'll always match her personality and her hair."

Glenn ignored her and asked the clerk for the price. Considering that purple pearls are a rare find in the world, Glenn was surprised to hear that it would only cost him eleven hundred dollars. Plus another two hundred for his simple wedding ring. He was happy to fork over the money and turned to leave.

Kari was staring at some quarter machines tucked in the corner of the store. She was fishing around her pockets for a quarter and staring at the one machine that held rings. Finding no quarter, she held her head in disappointment and crossed her arms.

Glenn sighed and walked over to her. He held out a quarter and Kari's eyes lit up. She smiled and took the quarter, putting it in the machine. A small plastic container fell out of the machine through a small metal door and Kari quickly opened it, sliding the ring on. Then she did something that no one would have expected her to do…

She hugged Glenn.

"Thanks, you big mean-y head," she said, smiling up at him.

"Don't mention it," Glenn muttered, awkwardly disengaging himself from her arms. "I'm serious. Don't mention it to anyone."  
"Aw…I love you too."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little update and hope you stick around for the final chapter update that'll come in the next couple of weeks. Please review and let me know what you think. ~ Scarlet**


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! You've stuck with me throughout this whole journey into my first ever wrestling story and made it a hit! This was awesome and I'd like to thank you all by making this a problem free chapter…**

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn heard someone walking in the hall as he made the filling for the breakfast burritos he was planning on making. A thin arm wrapped around his bicep and a cheek rested lightly against his the top of his arm. He glanced down at the purple haired woman who had stolen his heart and would become his wife in six more hours.

"You let me sleep in late," she commented sleepily, watching him stir around the egg and meat. "I thought I told you that I wanted to be woken up early, so I could go over to Layla's and get ready for the wedding." She sighed. "I already missed five phone calls from my bride's maids telling me to come over as soon as possible."

"I thought you deserved a little more sleep," Glenn said quietly, turning the burner off. "I don't think it will take six women much time to work their magic on you. Besides, I wanted to treat you to your favorite breakfast before you ran off."

Thea smiled at him and popped up onto her toes, kissing him on the cheek. "You're so sweet…but will you still cook for me after we're married?"

"Every chance I get," Glenn promised.

The two made their breakfast burritos to their liking and sat down at the dining room table. They talked quietly about what had happened in the past couple of days, the moments that they hadn't shared. The talk shifted to the wedding and their plans thereafter, but they both agreed there would be time for planning after the honeymoon and baby number one.

"Lass, I'd thought you be gone by now," Drew said, walking into the dining room as he ran a hand through his hair that ended in a sloppy ponytail. "You need to get pictures of the pre-wedding arrangements and get yourself all dolled up. That takes time – lots of it if I remember from my wedding with Taryn."

Glenn rolled his eyes and started eating his fifth burrito. Thea wiped her mouth off on a napkin and looked at her best friend.

"I'm going to be leaving soon," she told him. "Glenn just wanted to spend a little time with me before we separated for the day. I mean, give us a break. We won't see each other for six hours Drew and after that we're married for life. Let us have our last meal together as an engaged couple."

"Well, if you two wanted to enjoy your last moments separately, you could have had a bachelor party and a bachelorette party," Drew pointed out, crossing his arms as he looked at the couple.

"I didn't want a bachelor party," Glenn stated. "I don't need to get drunk and have an almost naked girl dance around me." His hand found Thea's and squeezed it gently. "Thea is all that I need."

"Cheesy with a hint of corn," Kari commented, entering the room with a plate of burritos. "Seriously, can you two be any mushier? It's kind of gross and makes me nauseous."

She handed Drew the plate of burritos and stood there, watching the soon-to-be-wed finish their meal. Glenn glanced at her and saw the fake ring on her finger. A hint of green could be seen around her finger, but she seemed content to leave the ring on it. He remembered that simple friendship between them and smirked.

"Thea, we need to get going," Kari announced suddenly. "I already have your dress in my car with the camera."

"I know, Kari. I know." Thea climbed to her feet and kissed Glenn on the cheek. "I'll see you in a few hours Glenn."

She walked out of the room and Kari looked at Glenn. "You'll never see her again!" she taunted, laughing evilly as she followed Thea out of the room.

Glenn rolled his eyes and tucked into his final burrito. He noticed that Drew was watching him and wondered what the man was thinking about.

"Glenn…Thea has been my friend for over three years now," Drew said, setting his half eaten burrito down. "I haven't seen her this happy about something since she was given a contract with the WWE. It's…it's good to see her this way after all the bad things that have happened to her since she came to SmackDown. And she's done wonders in your life…"

Glenn nodded and wiped his mouth off on a napkin. "She has."

"I'm really happy for the two of you. I don't see how either of you could have done better in choosing your mate. You are perfect for each other."

"Drew," Glenn began. "You are lousy at making wedding toasts. So don't try to do it at the wedding reception."  
Drew's face took on a flush of color. "That's not going to happen. I'll just talk about Thea and…see where we go from there." He pointed at the bigger man as the color faded. "And you better not get cold feet about this either. Thea's counting on you to be the best husband you can be, so it'd be wise not to disappoint the lass."

"I'm not going to get cold feet or become a runaway groom," Glenn assured the younger man. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life. I love Thea and I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her. You have nothing to worry about."  
"Good."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea shifted her position ever so slightly and was snapped at by Taryn. She sighed and tried to remain perfectly still as one woman did her makeup and another worked on her hair. Her eyes were closed for now as Layla worked on her eye lids and Thea felt a sneeze coming, but she forced it back. She had requested simple makeup, but the girls thought she'd look better with some 'fairy-like' makeup. Not feeling like have an argument, Thea let them do what they wished as long as her hair had loose curls formed in it.

All around her she could hear the happy chattering of her friends, her bridesmaids. She could tell that Kari was being uncooperative about her attire because she could hear Beth scolding her for not changing into the dress that Thea had picked out of her.

"But it's not the right color!" Kari complained. "It's silvery-white. I don't put on white gowns for anyone, not even at my high school graduation."

"Kari, we've already been through this," Beth said impatiently. "This is the dress that we all agreed to wear and this is Thea's wedding. Not yours. As her friend, you should respect her wishes."

"But she said that I didn't have to wear anything that was uncomfortable for me," Kari muttered and Thea opened her eyes in time to see Kari cross her arms.

"She meant shoes, Kari," Barbara pointed out. "She said you didn't have to wear stilettos if they were uncomfortable for you. The dress is not negotiable. You wear it or Thea may kick you out of the wedding party."

Kari looked at Thea with big eyes. "Thea, please don't make me wear the dress," she practically begged.

"Kari, you have to wear the dress," Thea told her firmly before becoming still again as Layla approached her face with a clear lip gloss.

"Thea!" Kari whined, stomping her foot.

"Put on the dress," the room – minus Thea – chorused.

Kari made a grumbling sound, took the dress from Beth, and headed behind a dressing partition. Thea sighed and looked at Layla, trying to remember when things had started to seem so hard. She understood that Kari didn't like dresses and she didn't like to wear white, but she didn't understand why Kari hadn't said anything before they had all agreed on the bride's maid dresses. They were more silver than white anyway…It didn't make sense.

"I don't think Kari's too happy about losing you to Glenn," Maria commented, looking at herself in the giant mirror as she made some finishing touches to her own makeup.

"Really?"

"Yes," Maria said, glancing at her. "You've been the only person that she can relate to here. You're both young and you're both trying to grow up so fast in this already fast paced world. Not only are you getting married today, but you're having a baby in a few months…Glenn and the baby are going to take more time from your already full schedule, time that you used to spend with friends, with her." She sighed. "You know we're going to miss you too, but we're old enough to handle it better."

"Stop talking about me!" Kari called through the partition. "I hate you all! Except Thea and Beth!"

The girls laughed, but Thea felt too nervous to really laugh. Beth put a hand on her bare shoulder and Thea looked up at her. The older woman's face was sympathetic, but calm. Thea could feel strength radiating from her.

"Are you okay Thea?" Beth asked quietly.

"I'm fine. It's just my nerves," Thea whispered, fiddling with the skirt of her dress. "I don't see why I'm so nervous about this…I've always wanted to have a wedding, but it's never seemed so…"

"Real?"

"Yeah…" She looked down at her hands, wishing that they would become still in her lap. "I know it seems silly to feel like this, but…"

"Every bride gets nervous," Beth assured her. "It's part of the natural cycle of things. You don't have to worry about it. As long as you know that you love Glenn, you'll do what is right." She gestured at the mirror that was across from Thea. "Look. You're a beautiful, confident woman and you're about to marry the love of your life."

Thea looked at the woman who was looking back at her through the mirror. Around her neck was a silver chain that had Glenn's promise ring on it. Thea reached up and touched the necklace, taking a deep breath and let it out slowly. A small smile graced her lips and Thea felt a sudden burst of strength hit her.

Maria took a picture of Thea as she stared at herself in the mirror and frowned. "Thea…there's something in this picture…"

"What?" Thea took the camera and brought up the photo that Maria had just taken. "Oh my God…"

In the picture was the semi-transparent image of her father, his hand on Thea's shoulder and a smile on his face. Thea felt tears come to her eyes, but she held them back and her smile widened. The other girls crowded around the camera, staring at it in wonder.

"Your daddy never left you," Kari said with a smile. "And he's going to be here on the biggest day of your life…just like you wanted him to be."

Thea simply smiled and handed the camera over to her friends. She was ready for everything now.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Glenn straightened his tie for the seventh time as he stood at the front of the church. The pews were full of his and Thea's friends and family and a low buzz filled the sanctuary as they talked amongst themselves. Thea's childhood preacher was standing beside him, looking at his book for something. He offered very little strength, but Glenn didn't need strength. His eyes turned to the back of the sanctuary as the bridal march started playing.

Mark led procession of the group with Kari, who had a teary smile on her face as she walked up the aisle. The bride's maids and their escorts marched up next. Glenn watched as Lee came into the picture and then he saw his bride…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thea watched as everyone started heading through the doors of the sanctuary. Already she could feel the eyes of everyone on her, even through the wall. All she wanted to see was her fiancé. Her soon-to-be husband.

"Are you ready?" Lee asked as the last couple vanished through the door.

Thea nodded and let him escort her to the door. There were faces looking at her in awe, but all she saw was her groom…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And they both knew that this would last forever…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**A/N: I'll let you imagine the perfect wedding for these two and the vows that they say. I didn't want to disappoint you if things didn't turn out right, but I'm glad that I could give you this much. I hope you like it.**

**I want to thank you guys again for making this story possible. If you hadn't shown so much interest in it, none of this would have happened. But you were there and I'm glad you were. Now it's time to say bye for now because I'm not quite sure that I'm done writing stories for Thea and Glenn. Who knows? A one-shot could be in order…**

**Anyway, thanks again and I hope you review!**


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